The ocean is always constantly in motion, the ocean seems to reliably rise and fall each day, but where does this energy come from? Tides are prolonged waves which travel over a considerable distance. They are primarily influenced by particular gravitational forces which are exerted by the Moon, Earth, and the Sun, although much less than the other two. As the Earth rotates through space, it is affected by the Moon's gravitational pull, which we refer to as Tidal Force, which causes the water to “bulge” out on the side closest and furthest away from the moon. These “bulges” are what we refer to as High tides, while the unaffected area is Low tide.

When you think of the ocean or the beach, you certainly picture the gentle rolling and crashing of waves, but what exactly are they? Waves are a way that energy is transferred across the ocean, and surface waves are typically caused by wind energy blowing against the water, which in turn transfers the energy through friction. Waves can be various sizes and shapes depending on the strength of the wind, which is why waves are much more frequent and powerful during storms. Some waves can be created when underwater tectonic plates slide during an earthquake, which physically forces the water above sea level and becomes horizontal energy and waves are pushed out from every direction surrounding the event.

The energy from the waves and tidal processes has to end up somewhere, and typically it will continue until it reaches a barrier or runs out of energy. This dissipation of energy shapes many of the costal features we can see today. The constant battering of the shoreline leads to a small amount of materials to be lost with each passing day and is commonly referred to as erosion.