What Causes ‘Tides’ in the Ocean and How Do They Change?

Imagine the ocean as a big, soft blanket. The Moon is like a giant magnet that pulls on this blanket. When it’s close enough, it tugs the water up, and when it moves away, the water goes down. This pull-and-release makes the tides, the rising and falling of the ocean. Sometimes the Sun helps too, making the tides even bigger!

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Examples

  1. The water in a lake rises when the Moon is overhead.
  2. A child notices that the beach gets deeper as they walk towards the sea during low tide.
  3. Boats find it easier to navigate at high tide because the water level is higher.

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