What Causes ‘Tides’ and How Are They Different From Waves?

Tides are like the ocean breathing in and out because of the moon's pull. The moon pulls on Earth’s water, making it rise in some places and fall in others. Waves are different, they’re caused by wind pushing the water up and down, not gravity from another object.

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Examples

The ocean rises when the moon is overhead, like water being pulled up by an invisible string.
Waves crash on the shore every time the wind blows across the sea.
At night, the water level goes down because the moon isn’t directly above.

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Categories: Physics · tides,gravity,oceanography,moon