I am told we are losing the Moon due to ebb & flow of our oceans. If you were to explain this to a non-mathematical minded person, how would you explain the interaction between the forces due to ebb & flow of our oceans and its "adverse" effect on our Moon nearly 380,000 Km away?
2007-05-23 03:29:51 · 4 answers · asked by babakmaz 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Gravity from the earth makes a bulge on the moon and moon gravity makes a bulge on earth, seen especially in the water as tides. The moon spins at the same rate as it orbits earth so that is why one face never changes and is always the same (and the lunar bulge is always at the same place). But the earth is turning faster than the moon orbits, so the bulge, trying to get ahead of itself is pulled back by the moon and that earth bulge pulls the moon faster, and that gradual increase makes the moon move away. Put a weight on a string and spin it, it will pull on you. Spin it faster and it pulls harder on you.
2007-05-23 03:51:27 · answer #1 · answered by mike453683 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the very simplest terms, those ocean tides on Earth that face the moon lead it by almost 10-degrees. Although the moon is far away, those moon-facing tides exert a tiny gravitational tug on it, making it move just a fraction of a fraction faster over time. Any object in orbit about another object will move farther away from it if it increases its speed.
Take a look here for a nice explantion along with some graphics ==>http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~pogge/Ast161/Unit4/tides.html
2007-05-23 11:59:58 · answer #2 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Gravity's force increases as you get closer to the center of the gravity field. Since the side of Earth facing the Moon is closer the tide rises due to this force. Similarly, the side opposite the Moon is pulled less and the tide rises because it is pulled with less force. As the water 'bulges' rotate around the Earth (this is not quite true because the bulges always face toward and away from the Moon and the Earth rotates through them) they create friction. This imparts just a bit of additional speed to the Moon. Increased speed means higher orbit. Does this make sense?
2007-05-23 10:49:53 · answer #3 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the tides cause a gravitational torque on the moon, raising it's orbit.
That's about as "layman" as I can get. Without...
"That thar moon goin up like Aunt Bubba back in that ther tornada a few yers ago. It scared of this here Earth and all these there peoples evil devil worshipin' machines"
2007-05-23 10:38:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋