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Grade 9 · Science · Earth and Space Science

9th grade Why the tides rise and fall worksheet

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Why the tides rise and fall

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Early one January, the full Moon falls near perigee. What tides should a coast expect, by Esme's reading?

    • Neap tides, since it is winter
    • Small tides, since the Moon is close
    • No change; distance has no effect
    • Larger than usual spring tides

  2. A quarter Moon falls near apogee. What tides should a coast expect, by Jun's reading?

    • No tides
    • Strong spring tides
    • Smaller than usual neap tides
    • Large tides, since the Moon is far

  3. Read this first

    Monday high tides (model data)

    TideTime
    high3:00 a.m
    high3:25 p.m

  4. A beach had high tides at 3:00 a.m. and 3:25 p.m. on Monday. About when is Tuesday's afternoon high tide, by Kira's math?

    • About 2:35 p.m.
    • About 3:25 p.m.
    • About 4:15 p.m.
    • About 3:50 p.m.

  5. Moon-phase calendar with spring tides marked. Luz's friend says spring tides happen in the spring. Which response is best?

    • Agree: spring weather raises the sea
    • Disagree: they come at the quarter Moons
    • Agree: the name says so
    • Disagree: they come twice a month, at new and full Moon

  6. Tidal force ∝ mass ÷ distance³. Milo's cousin says the Sun is far bigger, so it must cause most of the tides. Which response is best (NOAA)?

    • Disagree: the Sun has no effect on tides
    • Disagree: tidal force falls with distance cubed; the Sun's is about half
    • Agree: more mass means bigger tides
    • Agree: the Sun pulls on Earth 177 times harder

  7. Tidal force ∝ 1 ÷ distance³. If the Moon were twice as far away, how strong would its tidal force be, by Pia's math?

    • Twice as strong
    • 1/4 as strong
    • 1/2 as strong
    • 1/8 as strong

  8. Spring ≈ 1 + 0.46; neap ≈ 1 − 0.46. In a simple model, spring tides ≈ Moon + Sun (1 + 0.46) and neap tides ≈ Moon − Sun (1 − 0.46). About how many times larger is a spring tide, by Ren's math?

    • About 1 time; they are equal
    • About 0.37 times
    • About 2.7 times
    • About 1.46 times

  9. Tidal force ∝ mass ÷ distance³. A moon with twice the mass, at the same distance, would raise tides how large, by Tala's math?

    • 4 times as large
    • Unchanged
    • Twice as large
    • 8 times as large

  10. NOAA: many Gulf of Mexico coasts get one high and one low tide a day. What is that pattern called, by Zee's reading?

    • A mixed semidiurnal tide
    • A diurnal tide
    • A neap tide
    • A semidiurnal tide

  11. A coast gets two high tides a day, but one is much higher than the other. What is that pattern called, by Ari's reading (NOAA)?

    • A mixed semidiurnal tide
    • A spring tide
    • A semidiurnal tide, since heights do not count
    • A diurnal tide
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9th grade Why the tides rise and fall worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Why the tides rise and fall. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can explain the two tidal bulges and why most coasts get two high tides every 24 hours 50 minutes.
  • I can tell spring tides (new and full Moon) from neap tides (quarter Moons) and read a tide table.
  • I can use tidal force ∝ mass ÷ distance³ to compare the Moon and Sun and the Moon at perigee and apogee.

Standard: supports HS-ESS1-4

Words to know

tidal bulge: A rise of ocean water facing or opposite the Moon

spring tide: Extra-large range at new and full Moon

neap tide: Smaller range at first and third quarter

lunar day: 24 hours 50 minutes, one turn back under the Moon

tidal range: The height difference between high and low tide

Common mistakes

Your child gave the Sun the main role in the tides. NOAA: the Moon is the main cause; the Sun's tide-raising force is about half the Moon's.

Your child used distance squared for tides. Gravity falls with distance squared, but the tide-raising force falls with distance cubed (NOAA).

Your child pictured one tidal bulge. NOAA: there are two, one facing the Moon and one on the far side, so most coasts get two high tides a day.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with why the tides rise and fall?

Your child gave the Sun the main role in the tides. NOAA: the Moon is the main cause; the Sun's tide-raising force is about half the Moon's.

Are these 9th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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