Tidal wave

Tidal wave is a term that is often used interchangeably with tsunami, although it is technically incorrect. A tidal wave is a shallow water wave caused by the gravitational interactions between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. In contrast, a tsunami is a series of waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, typically due to an undersea earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide.

Causes

Tidal waves are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun on the Earth's oceans. This gravitational force causes the water to bulge out in the direction of the Moon and on the opposite side of the Earth, creating high tides. When these bulges move around the Earth, they create tidal waves.

Misconceptions

The term "tidal wave" is often incorrectly used to describe tsunamis. Unlike tidal waves, tsunamis are not related to the tides but are instead caused by seismic activity, such as underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides. The misnomer likely arises from the fact that both phenomena involve large waves, but their origins and characteristics are quite different.

Tides

Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon, the Sun, and the rotation of the Earth. Tides are periodic and predictable, occurring in a regular pattern known as the tidal cycle. There are two main types of tides: spring tides and neap tides.

Spring Tides

Spring tides occur when the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are in a straight line, which happens during the full moon and new moon phases. During spring tides, the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun combine to produce the highest high tides and the lowest low tides.

Neap Tides

Neap tides occur when the Moon and the Sun are at right angles to each other, which happens during the first and third quarters of the moon. During neap tides, the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun partially cancel each other out, resulting in the lowest high tides and the highest low tides.

Related Pages

• Tsunami
• Tide
• Spring tide
• Neap tide
• Gravitational force
• Earthquake
• Volcanic eruption
• Landslide