Tidal Mechanics (TM)
Level 1: What is the main "force" in space that pulls on our oceans to create tides?
Gravitational pull (or Gravity).
What do we call the area of the shore that is covered by water at high tide and dry at low tide?
Intertidal Zone
What is the biggest danger for an animal when the tide goes out and the sun comes up?
Drying out.
What do we call the tiny, floating plants and animals that many tide pool creatures eat?
Plankton.
What should you check before you go "tide pooling" so you don't get stuck in deep water?
A Tide Table (or Tide Chart).
Level 2: Which is stronger at pulling our tides: the Sun or the Moon?
Moon
Which zone is almost always dry and only gets wet from crashing wave "mist"?
The Splash Zone (or Spray Zone).
What do animals like crabs or snails use to protect their soft bodies from being crushed by waves?
Hard shells.
Seaweed and algae need what "source" to grow on the rocks?
Sunlight
Is it better to go tide pooling during a High Tide or a Low Tide?
Low Tide
Level 3: How many high tides do most beaches have in one day?
Two
Which zone is the "best" place to live if you are a fish that needs to stay underwater?
The Low Intertidal Zone.
If a barnacle wants to stay wet during low tide, what does it do with its shell?
It closes its "trapdoor" or shell tightly to keep water inside.
**** DAILY DOUBLE ****
Barnacles and Mussels don't move to find food. How do they eat?
They filter food out of the water when the tide is high (Filter Feeding).
Why should you never pick up an animal and move it to a different pool?
It might not survive in the new temperature or might get eaten by different predators.
What do we call the tide when the water is at its very lowest point?
Low Tide
Why is the High Intertidal zone a difficult place for most ocean animals to live?
Because it is dry for a long time and gets very hot in the sun.
How do animals like Sea Stars or Sea Urchins keep from being washed away by a big wave?
They use suction (tube feet) to stick to the rocks.
What is a common predator you might find in a tide pool that eats mussels?
A Sea Star (or a Gull/bird).
What is one way that trash or plastic on the beach can hurt tide pool animals?
They might try to eat it or get tangled in it.
If the Moon, Sun, and Earth are all in a straight line, will the tides be extra high or extra low?
Extra High
What are the small polls of water called that get left behind in the rocks when the tide goes out?
Tide Pools
Why do some animals hide under wet seaweed or inside cool rock cracks during low tide?
To stay cool and keep from drying out in the sun.
Why is "space" on a rock so important for animals in the intertidal zone?
If they don't have a spot to hold onto, they will be washed away or eaten.
Why should you walk carefully on "bare" rocks instead of stepping on mussels or barnacles?
Stepping on them can crush them and kill the animals living inside. (and it really hurts)