Describe the number of high and low tides in a lunar day, including the period, and any inequality of diurnal, semidiurnal, and mixed tide types

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Theoretically, coastal regions on Earth should experience two high tides and two low tides of equal heights during a lunar day. In practice, however, the various depths, sizes, and shapes of ocean basins modify tides so they exhibit three different patterns in different parts of the world. A diurnal tidal pattern has one high tide and one low tide each lunar day. These tides are common in shallow inland seas such as the Gulf of Mexico and along the coast of Southeast Asia. Diurnal tides have a tidal period of 24 hours 50 minutes. A semidiurnal tidal pattern has two high tides and two low tides each lunar day. The heights of successive high tides and successive low tides are approximately the same. Semidiurnal tides are common along the Atlantic coast of the United States. The tidal period is 12 hours 25 minutes. A mixed tidal pattern may have characteristics of both diurnal and semidiurnal tides. Successive high tides and/or low tides will have significantly different heights, a condition called diurnal inequality. Mixed tides commonly have a tidal period of 12 hours 25 minutes, but they may also exhibit diurnal periods. Mixed tidal patterns are commonly found along the Pacific coast of North America.