How does the gravitational pull of the moon affect low and high tides?

Question

How does the gravitational pull of the moon affect low and high tides?

Answer 1

The moon goes into in different phases and thus in different opposition to the Earth at certain times of the day or night; this makes for a variation in intensities of tides, like the Neap Tide or the Ebb Tide, or the High Tide, etc.

Answer 2

ok well gravity is kinda like a magnet as you know

but for every thing and anything with mass has gravity

since the moon is so big and has so much mass it pulls water twoards it as it orbits earth so whenever the moon is thats where the highest tide is

like if you have a small chain tied down to a table and move a mgnet just out of its reach it follows the magnet whener ever you pull it. the earth is bigger and has more gravity so the water stays here rather than flot to the moon

Answer 3

The gravitational force of the moon is one ten-millionth that of earth, but when you combine other forces such as the earth's centrifugal force created by its spin, you get tides.

Tides are created because the Earth and the moon are attracted to each other, just like magnets are attracted to each other. The moon tries to pull at anything on the Earth to bring it closer. But, the Earth is able to hold onto everything except the water. Since the water is always moving, the Earth cannot hold onto it, and the moon is able to pull at it. Each day, there are two high tides and two low tides. The ocean is constantly moving from high tide to low tide, and then back to high tide. There is about 12 hours and 25 minutes between the two high tides.

When the sun and moon are aligned, there are exceptionally strong gravitational forces, causing very high and very low tides which are called spring tides, though they have nothing to do with the season. When the sun and moon are not aligned, the gravitational forces cancel each other out, and the tides are not as dramatically high and low. These are called neap tides.

Answer 4

When the earth spins on it's axis, a different side of earth will face the moon, regardless of whether you can see it or not, since the moon can only be seen at night. The gravitational pull affects all mass, including the water in ocean. The pull essentially cause the oceans to bulge, and become lifted to a higher level, causing the rise and lowering of the tides.

Just to add to my answer: I was checking out on a website that said the sun contributes 30% to the tides, while the moon contributes 70%. This would make sense since the sun is much farther away and gravity weakens with distance. So I guess it would be more correct to point to both the Moon and Sun as causing the tides, but the Moon does cause a more significant amount.

http://www.definity-systems.net/~apw/ast...

Answer 5

Every planet has got gravitational force.That is attracting the things to wards its center.That power depends upon the mass of the planet and the distance of the things attracted.When the gravitational pull and that of sun is acting on our earth and getting neutralized it is floating in its path. When the moon comes in between the line of force of gravity of sun and earth the gravitation force is disturbed.The gravitational pulls are increased or decreased.Since the earth is a hard substance it is not moving to wards moon.The water is a loose substance tent to rise its level.