How Does the Moon Actually Affect Tides?

The moon pulls on Earth's oceans like a giant invisible string, making the water rise and fall. When you're facing the moon, it's high tide, and when you're on the opposite side of Earth, that’s also high tide because the moon is pulling from both sides at once. In between, the water goes lower, that’s low tide. It's like a game of tug-of-war with the ocean.