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Does the moon control the tides on Earth?
While the moon and sun cause tides on our planet, the gravitational pull of these celestial bodies does not dictate when high or low tides occur. Other forces, more regional than the moon or sun, control the tides.
Why are there two tides?
This occurs because the moon revolves around the Earth in the same direction that the Earth is rotating on its axis. Since the Earth rotates through two tidal “bulges” every lunar day, we experience two high and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes.
Why do we have tides on Earth?
Tides are very long waves that move across the oceans. They are caused by the gravitational forces exerted on the earth by the moon, and to a lesser extent, the sun. Because the gravitational pull of the moon is weaker on the far side of the Earth, inertia wins, the ocean bulges out and high tide occurs.
How does the Sun and Moon cause tides on Earth?
The Sun’s gravitational force on Earth is 178 times as large as the Moon’s force on Earth. The ratio of the Sun or Moon tidal forces on Earth is 0.465. The tidal stretch of the human body (standing) changes its height by the fraction 10-16, an amount 1000 times smaller than the atom’s diameter.
How does the Earth’s Ocean respond to the Moon?
The Earth’s ocean s respond to the moon’s gravitational pull by bulging and dipping as the moon revolves around the Earth. As the ocean bulges toward the moon, a high tide is created. The high tide on the side of the Earth facing the moon is called the high high tide. The high tide caused by the bulge on the opposite side…
Why is the high tide on the opposite side of the moon called?
As the ocean bulges toward the moon, a high tide is created. The high tide on the side of the Earth facing the moon is called the high high tide. The high tide caused by the bulge on the opposite side of the Earth is called the low high tide.
What happens when the Moon and Sun line up?
When the earth, moon, and Sun line up—which happens at times of full moon or new moon—the lunar and solar tides reinforce each other, leading to more extreme tides, called spring tides. When lunar and solar tides act against each other, the result is unusually small tides, called neap tides.