Scavenger Hunt Sea Week

WALT understand earth systems
Context: moon, tides, ocean, currents

Fact Card #1: How does water move on the surface of ocean? The water in the ocean is constantly moving. On the surface water moves in the form of waves.

Fact Card #2: How does water move below the surface of ocean? The water in the ocean is constantly moving. Below the surface, the water moves in great currents.

Fact Card #3: What are the two types of ocean currents? There are two types of currents: surface currents and deep currents

Fact Card #4: Define ocean currents. Ocean currents are moving streams of water within the ocean.

Fact Card #5: Define the ‘surface current’. Current that move on or near the surface of the ocean is called surface current.

Fact Card #6: List the factors which control the surface currents, Three factors that control the surface are air currents, Earth’s rotation and location of continents.

Fact Card #7: Which factors affect the flow of ocean surface water? Global wind belts are a major factor affecting the flow of ocean surface water.

Fact Card #8: How are deep currents generated in ocean? Deep currents: difference in the water density due to the temperature gradients move the water and creates the deep currents.

Fact Card #9: Write down the characteristics of cold and warm water. Cold water is more dense and it sinks and moves. Warm water is less dense and it rises up.

 Fact Card #10: Which ocean currents travel more faster? Surface current travel much faster than deep ocean currents. Fact Card #11: Write the factors that cause the deep currents. Deep ocean currents are caused by changes in the temperature, salinity (how salty the water is) and density of the water.

Fact Card #12: How do the Sun and the Moon cause the ocean currents? The gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun is also an important factor to cause ocean currents.

Fact Card #13: Give the definition of wave. A Wave is a rhythmic movement that carries energy through matter of space

Fact Card #14: What are the causes of waves? Waves are caused by wind, earthquakes and gravitational force of the moon and sun.

Fact Card #15: List the characteristics of a wave. Crest, Trough, Wave height, Wave length

Fact Card #16: Write the parameters on which the wave height is dependent. Wave Height depends on: Wind speed, distance over which the wind blows, length of time (fetch) the wind blows.

Fact Card #17: What happens during tide? Tide is a periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the Sun and the Moon.

Fact Card #18: What do you mean by high tide? High tide - water level is at its highest.

Fact Card #19: What do you mean by low tide? Low tide - water level is at its lowest.

Fact Card #20: How does the Moon’s gravity pull ocean water? The moon’s gravity pulls the water on the earth towards it. The water moves up into a slight bulge on the side of the earth that faces the moon.

Fact Card #21: What is the cycle duration of high/low tide? Generally one low-tide/high-tide cycle takes at every 12 hours and 25 minutes.

Fact Card #22: Define tidal range. The difference in ocean level between high-tide and low-tide is called as tidal range.

Fact Card #23: When does spring tide occur? Spring tides occur when the Earth, the Sun and the Moon are in a line.

Fact Card #24: Which tides occur during full/new moon? Spring tides occur during the full the moon and the new Moon.

Fact Card #25: When does neap tide occur? Neap tide occurs when Moon and Sun are perpendicular to each other

Fact Card #26: Which tides occur during quarter moon? Neap tides occur during quarter moons.

Fact Card #27: Which tides are known as weak tides? Why? Neap tides are weak tides as the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun counteract each other, creating weaker tidal forces

Fact Card#28: Which tides are known as strong tides? Why? Spring tides are strong tides because the moon and the Sun’s gravitational force combine to create a strong tide.