Chapter 13, Problem 46A

Whenever the ocean tide is unusually high, will the following low tide be unusually low? Defend your answer in terms of conservation of water.' (If you slosh water in a tub so that it is extra deep at one end, will water at the other end be extra shallow?)

To determine

To identify: Whether the following low tide is unusually low or not, whenever the ocean tide is unusually high.

Answer to Problem 46A

Yes, the following low tide is unusually low.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

According to Newton, the ocean tides are formed due to the difference in the gravitational pull around various places. The attraction of Moon is stronger on the oceans that are closer to the Moon, while weaker on the places or oceans that are farther to the moon.

Consider an example of bathtub. When a water is sloshed in the tub, it will be extra deep at one end and shallow at the other end. Thus, to satisfy the conservation law, there will be extra amount of water at the one end and lesser amount of water at the opposite end.

Hence, in case of ocean tides, whenever the ocean tide is unusually high, then to satisfy the conservation of water throughout the Earth, the opposite place will have the low tide as unusually low.

Conclusion:

Thus, the following low tide is unusually low.