Gravity and inertia act in opposition on the Earth’s oceans, creating tidal bulges on opposite sites of the planet. On the “near” side of the Earth (the side facing the moon), the gravitational force of the moon pulls the ocean’s waters toward it, creating one bulge.

The friction of the continents and the rapid rotation of the Earth carry the ocean’s tidal bulge forward so it precedes the Earth-Moon line by about 3 degrees. The friction of the continents and the rapid rotation of the Earth carry the ocean’s tidal bulge forward so it precedes the Earth-Moon line by about 3 degrees.

A tidal bulge occurs in the oceans on the side of the earth nearest the moon; a second tidal bulge occurs on the far side of the earth. These bulges are high tides. The areas between the tidal bulges experience low tide. Usually two high and two low tides occur each 24 hours and 50 minutes.

three tidal bulges

High and low tides are caused by the moon. The moon’s gravitational pull generates something called the tidal force. The tidal force causes Earth—and its water—to bulge out on the side closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. These bulges of water are high tides.

Why are there two tidal bulges? One tidal bulge forms because the moon’s gravitational force is pulling on the water. The other bulge forms because the water on the far side is not pulled toward the moon as strongly.

The solar tidal bulges are larger than the lunar tidal bulges because the Sun is larger than the Moon. A new moon is one that you can’t see because Earth is between the Moon and the Sun.

The tidal bulge passes through the observer pass 4 times in 24 hours.

tidal bulges. The swell or crest of surface ocean water created by the tides.

The tidal bulge on the far side of the earth is not caused by centrifugal force. It is caused by the exact same thing the near-side bulge is caused by: the moon’s gravity. The ocean responds to these forces by bulging up on the near and far side of the earth relative to the moon.

As the Earth rotates beneath the tidal bulges, it attempts to drag the bulges along with it. A large amount of friction is produced which slows down the Earth’s spin. The day has been getting longer and longer by about 0.0016 seconds each century.

Explain from image why a tidal bulge occurs on the side of Earth closest the moon (Point A). Two tidal bulges are created on opposite sides of the Earth due to the moon’s gravitational force and inertia’s counterbalance. Gravity is a major force responsible for creating tides. …

the Bay of Fundy

Bay of Fundy

Antarctic Circumpolar Current

A maelstrom is a whirlpool created when moving water twists and turns. Much the way a black hole in space can suck an object in with its pull, a maelstrom can suck in ships, leading to catastrophic accidents and injuries.

The World’s Largest Whirlpools

• Corryvreckan. The Gulf of Corryvreckan is a strait located between Jura and Scarba islands, Scotland.
• Naruto Whirlpools.
• Old Sow.
• Skookumchuck Narrows.
• Moskstraumen.
• Saltstraumen.

Eddies can often be found in a river or stream where an object is causing an interruption to the flow of the current. The current in an eddy is flowing in the opposite direction from the main river flow. This can cause dangerous turbulence at the eddy lines where the two opposite currents meet.

As nouns the difference between whirlpool and eddy is that whirlpool is a swirling body of water while eddy is a current of air or water running back, or in an opposite direction to the main current.

What should you do if you get caught in a whirlpool? Avoid getting caught in this vortex by ducking down beneath the foaming water churning in the backwash. Force yourself down into the smooth water that dips beneath it and keeps traveling downstream.

Though the whirlpool has caused a long list of fatalities, your best bet of surviving Old Sow or other standing whirlpools is to keep your boat from swamping and let the vortex spit you out. Work your way to the outside edge of the whirlpool, moving in the direction of water flow.

Whirlpools can be very dangerous and can cause drowning. Despite the danger, whirlpools are a fascinating natural phenomenon. Many people enjoy watching strong maelstroms spin away from the safety of dry land.