Ocean Tides and Types Investigation
Online Data is Used to Identify the Three Tidal Types
Investigating ocean tides using online real-time data provides students the opportunity to make real world connections with these cycles and movement of ocean water. Tides are a repeated cycle of an ocean water level increase over several hours as water reaches its highest level or high tide. Or the opposite situation in which ocean water level decreases over several hours until the water reaches its lowest level or low tide.
When the ocean reaches either a high or low tide, this is called slack water. This slack water time varies significantly depending on the location of measurement around the world. This time can be as little as a few minutes to more than an hour. High tides and low tides vary and can occur more than once per day. The following are the three types of tides typically observed around the world:
- Diurnal – there is one high and one low tide in one tidal or solar day (24. 84 hours, instead of the normal 24 hour day).
- Semi-Diurnal – there are two high and two low tides in one tidal day.
- Mixed-Tide – there is one higher high and one lower high tide, along with one higher low tide and one lower low tide in one tidal day.
Data Collection
Real-time data is used from two or more online locations for students to construct and analyze graphical data to identify the three types of ocean tides. This is accomplished by students graphing the hourly water level heights at given locations. Advantages of online technology allow students to identify the types of ocean tides that occur at each location experienced during the tidal or solar day.
Information provided on the real-time includes the date, time, predicted water level height, and actual water level height. This information is used to develop the real-time data graph for analysis. This data of ocean tides is then plotted as follows:
- X-Axis – water level height
- Y-Axis – time
- One Color – predicted water level height for each location
- Second Color – actual water level height for each location
Data from hundreds of locations around the country can be found at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tides Online.
Science Questions
Once students have graphed the data and completed their analysis of the ocean tides which occurred during the tidal or solar day, ask students the following science questions.
- What were differences between the predicated and actual water level heights?
- What are some possible causes in the difference between the predicted and actual water level heights?
- What types of ocean tides occurred during the tidal or solar day?
- From the data collected and analysis findings, can the next day’s tides be predicted?
- Why it is important to determine ocean tides at the locations the data was collected?
Students Activities that Extend the Lesson
Students access the selected real-time data collection sites for the next several days and create graphs for analysis of ocean tides, identify the tidal types observed, and prepare to answer science questions related to their findings. Use the following procedures:
- Students make a prediction of the next day’s water level heights and types of tides.
- Students compare their prediction with actual water level heights.
Science Questions for Students:
- What were differences between the predicated and actual water level heights?
- What are some possible causes in the difference between the predicted and actual water level heights?
- What types of ocean tides occurred during the tidal or solar day?
- Was there a trend in the actual water level heights?
- Where there any extreme changes in the weather that may have affected the water level heights?
- What was the phase(s) of the moon over the data collection period?
- What was the relationship between the earth and the sun during the data collection period?
Additional questions to ask students will develop based on student responses to these questions.
Making Connections between Real Time Data and Tides
Students gain additional knowledge regarding how scientists actually work, using online technology during the collection of real-time data for ocean tides. This online activity allows students to access data, analyze data, and make predictions of based on their findings. This allows the students to using problem solving and science process skills as they make connections with the real world.
Ocean Tides
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