What is the relationship between the moon and the oceans?

Question

I've heard things about the "moon" had something to do with the "ocean" or something. But I never understood what is the correlation between the moon and the ocean.

Answer 1

The moon, because it's a large body, has its own gravitational pull (anything that has mass actually has its own gravitational pull, you and I included, but ours is for all intents and purposes zero). This pull acts on the oceans of the earth, because among other things they aren't really nailed down the way trees and things are, and also because large amounts of water act in concert.

Gravitational equations are based on masses, by the way, and you can for the most part consider the oceans as an independent mass from the rest of Earth.

Anyway, the tug of the moon produces high tides and low tides. Basically, the high tide is when the moon is closest to your edge of the ocean, and low tide is when the moon is farthest away, pulling the ocean away from you (not exactly true, but close enough for government work - it's actually a little behind the moon, the tide is)

All bodies of water have tides. The side of the tide, though, depends on a lot of factors, the volume of water in question being one of them.

Answer 2

It has to do with the moon's gravitational pull against the earth. It's weaker than the Earth's so nothing solid really moves and we don't really feel it. However the oceans being fluid are slightly effected. The levels will bulge slightly in the direction of the moon and consequently will bulge on the opposite side as well, due to the earth being pulled toward the moon, and away from the water on the far side. Since the earth is rotating, as well as, orbiting around the sun while this is happening, we get two tidal shifts per day.

Answer 3

The gravity of the moon causes tides.

The moon is close and big enough to try and pull the water off the earth, it only lifts it a few feet, but that is enough to create our tides. The sun has a similar effect, but the moon's effect is closer and stronger.

The moon is giving us free energy when we use tidal generators. A tidal generator uses the in and out flow of water to generate electricity. In New York City the first one installed the tide was so strong that it wrecked their prototype. If we are clever in how we use the natural processes on the Earth we can make our supply of energy last for hundred or thousands of years.

Brian L is correct; except he forgot the narrow channels which gives the Bay of Fundy the world's largest tides. If you look at the picture you can see why: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Fundy

Answer 4

The moon's gravitational pull is what gives the ocean their tides.

Answer 5

tides caused by the gravity of the moon

Answer 6

2nd cousins I think.