Ebb tide refers to what?

• A. Incoming tide
• B. Outgoing tide
• C. No tide movement
• D. Tidal reversal

Answer: (B)

Ebb tide is the outgoing flow of water as the tide recedes from shore toward the sea after high tide. It’s the period when water level is falling and currents move away from land. The incoming tide is the flood tide, when water rises and moves toward shore. Slack water is the brief pause around the turning point with little current, not the active outward flow of ebb. Tidal reversal refers to the switch in current direction at the moment of change between flood and ebb, but ebb tide specifically denotes the outward phase.