If the cause of the sea waves is moon"s gravitational pull, then what about gravity effect of the Sun?

Question

The reason for sea waves was told to be the gravitational pull of the moon. Then what about the effect of the gravitational pull of the Sun on sea/oceans? If so, why not each and every lake also produce waves?

Answer 1

The cause of sea waves is not the gravitational pull of the moon; but the effect of wind blowing across the ocean (leaving aside tsunamis, which are caused by earthquakes occuring below the oceans)

The moon's gravitational pull causes the TIDES of the ocean.

The sun's gravitational pull also has an effect on the tides. Although the sun is very much larger than the mooon, it is also a lot further away, and the net effect is that the sun's gravitational effect on the tides is about a third as strong as the moon's.

It is because of the interaction between the moon's and the sun's gravitational pull that we experience a variation in the heights of tides. When the moon and the sun are aligned with the earth, the gravitational effect is greatest, and the tides are highest ("spring tides"). When the sun and the moon are at right angles relative to the earth, then the gravitational pulls cancel out somewhat, and the tides are lowest ("neap tides").

A further effect is that the distance between the earth and the sun varies over the year, and so the sun's gravitational pull varies.

Tides would occur in lakes as well as oceans, but because a lake is much smaller, the tidal effect is also very much smaller.

Answer 2

It is not waves that are caused by gravity, it is TIDES. They are quite different things. And the Sun does have an effect on tides, although not as much as the Moon does; this is what accounts for the change in tides over long periods, because the Sun and the Moon are in different places relative to each other. The reason lakes do not have noticeable tides is because they are simply far, far smaller than oceans are.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tides

Answer 3

As for Jupiter- there could be a solid core in the planet. we are not sure, but this would account for what we think the gravitational pull now should be. Currently Jupiter is held together by gravity, as all the planets are. Each individual part of said planet accounts for some incredibly small fraction of said gravity. They are also affected by the net gravitational pull from said other particles. So to answer your original question- both. are are pulled by the gravity of the planet earth, and in the greater scheme of things we also have a gravitational field around us.

Answer 4

The gravitational pull of the Moon creates the greatest effect on the seas, not the only effect.

Smaller bodies of water are influenced more by the Earth's mass, so any effect by other masses such as the Moon or Sun aren't as apparent.

Answer 5

Gravity decreases like distance squared so although the sun is much bigger than the moon it is also much farther away and thus exerts almost no influence on the ocean. Lakes don't have tides, just waves and ripples that are caused by weather.

Answer 6

The sun does exert a pull would cause a slight tide, but it is "wiped out" in most cases by the tides caused by the moon. Small lakes are not subject to tides because water has to come from "somewhere else" to cause a tide, and the lakes are large enough for "somewhere else" to exist.