USCG Exam PracticeTides and currents — predictions and corrections
Tides are defined as the periodic vertical rise and fall of sea level caused primarily by which force?
- A. Wind acting on the ocean surface
- ✓ Gravitational interaction of the moon, sun, and earthCorrect
- C. Differences in water density due to temperature
- D. Atmospheric pressure variations over the ocean
Why B is correct
Bowditch Ch. 9 §901 defines tides as the periodic vertical rise and fall of sea level due to the gravitational interaction of the moon, sun, and earth. Wind drives surface ocean currents, not tides.
Cited:Bowditch Ch. 9 §901