Book 8, Question 33
Why Are Some Tides Especially High (Spring Tides)?
Spring tides are extra high because at new Moon and full Moon the Sun and Moon line up and their pulls add together.
Spring tides are especially high because the Sun and Moon line up! At new or full Moon, their pulls add together, so the oceans bulge more. They happen all year round, not just in spring!
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Quick answers
Do spring tides happen only in spring?
No. The name comes from the idea of the tide springing forth, and it happens all year.
What is a neap tide?
About seven days after a spring tide comes a neap tide, with milder tides, when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to Earth.
Sources: NASA Science, NOAA Ocean Service, NOAA Ocean Service
More fun facts
- Spring tides always happen at full Moon or new Moon.
- The name has nothing to do with the season. It comes from the idea of the tide 'springing forth,' and it happens all year.
- About seven days after a spring tide comes a neap tide, with milder tides, when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to Earth.
- When a spring tide happens while the Moon is closest to Earth, the high tide can be even higher.
- In Anchorage, Alaska, where tides rise and fall more than 30 feet, spring high tides can differ by 3 feet or more.
Sources: NASA Science, NOAA Ocean Service, NOAA Ocean Service
Questions kids ask
Do spring tides only happen in spring?
No. They happen twice a month all year long.