I think it has no effect on the tides, it's all a myth, newton's 3rd law where there's action there's reaction. the tide is out in one part of the world and comes in at an other.
2006-07-21 07:48:16 · 19 answers · asked by Tom M 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Well, first off ... a small portion of the tidal effect on Earth is due to the sun. However, the moon's gravity (along with the rotation of the earth) is the primary cause. The moon's gravity is weaker than the Earth's, but the moon is still a *very* big object with enough pull to cause tides!
The physics of tides has been pretty much understood since Newton. The link below has lots of info.
2006-07-21 08:10:54 · answer #1 · answered by Aaron 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is not a myth. The moon's "gravity" is not being used to cause the tides to rise and fall. It is in fact the Earth's rotation and internal gravitational pull of hot metal in it's core which causes the draw of the moon to have a sling-shot effect from the Earth to the moon and therefore, back on the tides of the Earth.
2006-07-21 07:55:11 · answer #2 · answered by Sandman44 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The tides coincide with the position of the moon indicating a link. Proof is obtained via the variations in tide height caused by the gravity of the sun, producing spring tides at the full and new moons.
2006-07-21 07:55:06 · answer #3 · answered by Red P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, it does pull tides where the moon located near the sea, but it wasn't pulled up because of the earth gravity. When you saw the moon up above the sea you will see tide, the tide followed to that direction because there is small gravity from the moon.
2006-07-21 17:14:33 · answer #4 · answered by Eve W 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon may have a weak gravitational field, being one sixth of that of the earth, but it is only 240,000 miles away, which is nothing is astronomical terms, and therefore its effect is indeed felt on earth. If the moon had no effect on the tides, as you boldly claim despite centuries of evidence to the contrary, how do you explain the fact that the timing of the tides precisely follow the timing of the moon's rotation around the earth?
The moon's gravitational field affects not only the tides. Through experiments conducted using triangulation of radio transmitters on earth, and the timing of signals sent to them, it has been proved that the earth's mass itself bulges towards the moon.
2006-07-21 08:15:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon and the earth are in equilibrium. That means that the force exerted on the moon by the earth is cancelled out by the centrifugal force of the moon circling the Earth.
Two bodies in free space exert gravity on one another. Since the mass of the moon is small compared to the Earth, its gravitational pull is smaller than that of the earth. However, this gravitational pull still exerts a force on the earth. Since water is free flowing, if the moon is on one side of the ocean, there is force pulling at the water, but since there is no moon on the other side, the water pulls towards the side where the moon is, since this force disrupts the equilibrium, until a new equilibrium is reached. It's all vectors.
2006-07-21 08:21:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Even the sun has an effect on our tides.
Typically if the sun is on one side of the earth and the moon is on the opposite, the tides will be higher.
The gravity of the earth and moon acting on each other keeps the moon in orbit around us.
Actually while the moon is orbiting the earth, it is causing the earth to wobble, it is so subtle you will not notice it.
just like the moon orbiting the earth, the gravitational effect is so subtle, example if you weigh 100 lbs with no moon,with the moon will make you 99.999 lbs, this subtle change will have this effect on the sea's due to their large size and area
2006-07-21 08:08:29 · answer #7 · answered by Juggernaut 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Although the gravity of the moon is very low, it reaches a far distance. The moon's gravity is too low for us to actually feel it although it does affect us. the closer the moon is to the earth, the stronger it gets. No, the moon probably won't cause a tsunami, but come to thignk of it, if it wern't for the moon the earth's gravity might have a slightly stronger effect on us. So, even though weak, the gravity reaches out quite a long distance.
2006-07-21 07:59:21 · answer #8 · answered by speedydasher47 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
But it's not precisely the moon gravity that affects the tides...
It's more of the moon proximity (or larger distance) to Earth during a certain period.
2006-07-21 07:53:05 · answer #9 · answered by tsalviatti 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So you are saying it is just a coincidence that they can predict what the tides are going to do from the position of the moon.
2006-07-21 08:08:36 · answer #10 · answered by georgephysics13 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋