Question

A _____ tidal pattern has two high and two low tides of unequal heights during each lunar day. A ____ tidal pattern has one high and one low tide during each lunar day. A ____ tidal pattern has two high and two low tides of approximately equal heights during each lunar day.

Answer 1

Answer:

A mixed semi-diurnal tidal pattern has two high and two low tides of unequal heights during each lunar day.

A diurnal tidal pattern has one high and one low tide during each lunar day.

A semi-diurnal tidal pattern has two high and two low tides of approximately equal heights during each lunar day.

Explanation:

Mixed semi-diurnal pattern:

A mixed semi-diurnal tide cycle has four tides each lunar day. This cycle manifests as a succession of two high and two low tides, both of which are different in size.

Diurnal inequality is a term that refers to the difference in height between two high/low tides.

A region that is frequently affected by semi-diurnal tide cycles is the West Coast of the United States.

Diurnal pattern:

On the other hand, a diurnal tide cycle only has two tides each lunar day – one high tide and one low tide, although for a long period. The tidal period, which is the period from one high (or low) tide to the next, during the diurnal cycle, is 24 hours and 50 minutes – an entire lunar day! This is why we call it the diurnal tide cycle.  

This tide pattern is experienced in the areas of the Gulf of Mexico.

Semi-diurnal pattern:

Were there only water on Earth, this would be the only existing pattern. During the semi-diurnal tide cycle, affected regions experience four tides every lunar day: two high tides and two low tides, of approximately equal size. The tidal period is in this case 12 hours and 25 minutes: half of a lunar day, which is exactly why we call it a semi'diurnal tide cycle!.

This is the most frequent tidal pattern among the world’s coasts.