How Does the Moon Affect Tides Exactly?

Imagine the Moon as a giant magnet in the sky. It pulls on Earth’s water, making it rise up like waves. On one side of Earth, the ocean bulges out, this is high tide. On the opposite side, the water gets pulled away, causing another high tide there too. In between are low tides. The Moon's pull changes throughout the day, which is why we have two tides every 24 hours. The Moon is like a giant remote control for Earth’s oceans.

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Examples

  1. The Moon pulls on the ocean like a giant magnet, making it rise up and fall.
  2. Imagine the sea bulging when you’re facing the Moon, it's high tide.
  3. On the opposite side of Earth, another bulge happens at the same time.

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Categories: Physics · tides· moon· gravity· oceanography