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For a "spring tide" to occur, the Sun and Moon are lined up with the Earth; either near the new moon or near the full moon. This is because the Sun and the Moon each cause their own tidal forces on the Earth's oceans, and when the forces are lined up, they add together.

A "neap tide" occurs when the tidal forces of the Sun and the Moon work at right angles to each other, lessening the total effect of the tides. This happens when the Sun, Moon and Earth form a triangle pattern. This happens at the first or third quarter phases of the Moon.

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11y ago
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10y ago

Neap tide occurs when the moon, earth, and sun are making a right angle.

Spring tide occurs when they are in a straight line.
Spring tide is the highest tide

Neap Tide is when the tide is the lowest
A spring tide is occurs when the moon is in alignment with the earth and sun at the same time. This happens during the new moon and full moon phases. When a spring tide occurs, the low tides are REALLY low and the high tides are VERY high.

A neap tide is the exact opposite...the difference in tides is not as distinguishable. The high tides are fairly low and the low tides are not too low. This occurs when the moon is in its first or third (last) quarter phases (not in alignment with the sun).
During the full moon and new moon days, the sun, the earth and the moon are in the same line and the tides are highest. These tides are called spring tides. But when yhe moon is in its first and last quarter, the ocean waters get drawn in diagonally opposite directions by the gravitational pull of the sun and the earth resulting in low tides. These tides are called neap tides.

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13y ago
At the time of a Full Moon, the positions are:

Sun -----------------------------------------------------------------------------> Earth -> Moon



At the time of New Moon, the positions are:

Sun -----------------------------------------------------------------------------> Moon -> Earth
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14y ago

Neap tides are lower than normal tides and happen when the sun and moon are at right angles in relation to the earth. At full moon and new moon the moon sun and earth are in a line which causes spring tides these are higher than normal tides a new moon is when the moon starts its "cycle" again which happens every 27.3 days or something like that.

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11y ago

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For a "spring tide" to occur, the Sun and Moon are lined up with the Earth; either near the new moon or near the full moon. This is because the Sun and the Moon each cause their own tidal forces on the Earth's oceans, and when the forces are lined up, they add together.

A "neap tide" occurs when the tidal forces of the Sun and the Moon work at right angles to each other, lessening the total effect of the tides. This happens when the Sun, Moon and Earth form a triangle pattern. This happens at the first or third quarter phases of the Moon.

Source: Where_are_the_sun_moon_and_earth_during_a_neap_tide_and_a_spring_tide

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13y ago

At the new and full moon phases, we experience the higher-than-average "spring" tides. At the quarter-moon phases, we have the lower-than-average "neap" tides.

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Q: What are the relative positions of the Earth the Moon and the Sun on a full moon and a new moon?
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Where must the moon be relative to the earth and sun to appear to be full?

The order of the 3 bodies should be Sun -> Earth -> Moon.


Where is moon when half lit?

The moon's phases result from the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. It doesn't matter where the moon is when it's half-lit (or in its first quarter); its position relative to Earth and the Sun does matter, however. When the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same side of the Earth the Moon is "new", and the side of the Moon visible from Earth is not illuminated by the Sun. As the Moon waxes (the amount of illuminated surface as seen from Earth is increasing), the lunar phases progress from new moon, crescent moon, first-quarter moon, gibbous moon and full moon phases, before returning through the gibbous moon, third-quarter (or last quarter) moon, crescent moon and new moon phases.


What side of the moon are we seeing when the moon is full?

The same side of the moon always faces us, regardless of the phase. When the moon is full that side is fully illuminated by the sun as the moon is approximately on the opposite side of Earth relative to the sun.


What is the position of the sun moon and earth during a full moon?

(Sun) (earth) (full moon) so the moon is behind the earth in a full moon.


How do the relative motions of the earth sun and moon lead to eclipses?

The Earth goes round the Sun in an orbit, while the Moon travels round the Earth. If those orbits were in exactly the same plane we would have a solar eclipse at every new Moon and a lunar eclipse at every Full Moon. The Moon's orbit is at an angle to the Earth's, so at most full/new moons the Moon is above or below the plane of the Earth's orbit (known as the ecliptic). But if the Moon is crossing the ecliptic at full or new moon, we get an eclipse.

Related questions

How do the moon phases depend on the relative positions of the sun the moon and the earth?

For example, when the Moon is opposite to the Sun, it is full moon; when it is in the same direction as the Sun, it is new moon.


What positions of the moon do the smallest high tide occur on earth?

New moon and full moon


10 Explain the phases of the Moon in terms of the relative positions of the Earth Sun and Moon?

· When there is no light reflecting of the moon, it means it is a full moon, whereas when the moon is reflecting all of the light towards us, it is a full moon. And between these two extremes, you see different amounts of reflected light.


When there is a full moon where are the Moon Sun and Earth relative to each other in space?

They are in a line with Earth in the middle.


Where must the moon be relative to the earth and sun to appear to be full?

The order of the 3 bodies should be Sun -> Earth -> Moon.


Why do you see different phases of the moon if the same side is always facing the earth?

The phases of the moon are the result of the ever-changing positions of the Earth, moon, and sun relative to one another. When the moon and the sun are on opposite sides of the earth (whereby the sun, earth, and moon form a straight line), a full moon occurs. When the moon and sun are on the same side of the earth (whereby the sun,moon, and earth form a straight line), a new moon occurs.


Why can't you see the other half of the moon?

The Moon orbits the Earth, while the Earth is orbiting the Sun. Because the Moon is moving, we see it in different positions relative to the Sun; we call this the "phases of the Moon". Only when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun will we see a "full" moon.


Why do you not have an eclipse every time we have an new or full moon?

The moon's orbit relative to the earth is tilted 5 degrees.


What are the relative position of the sun the moon and earth during a full moon?

When the moon is full, the full of the face of the moon that is facing earth is lit by the sun. The only way this can happen is if the earth is between the sun and the moon. We need the sun "behind us" to allow the sun to light up all of the moon's face so it can appear full.


Where is the relative position of a spring tide?

The relative position of a spring tide is when the moon new or full is closest yo the earth.


Where is moon when half lit?

The moon's phases result from the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. It doesn't matter where the moon is when it's half-lit (or in its first quarter); its position relative to Earth and the Sun does matter, however. When the Sun and Moon are aligned on the same side of the Earth the Moon is "new", and the side of the Moon visible from Earth is not illuminated by the Sun. As the Moon waxes (the amount of illuminated surface as seen from Earth is increasing), the lunar phases progress from new moon, crescent moon, first-quarter moon, gibbous moon and full moon phases, before returning through the gibbous moon, third-quarter (or last quarter) moon, crescent moon and new moon phases.


What causes moon phrases?

The perigee occurs at 11:34 PM tomorrow night and the full moon is a minute.:)The Sun casts the shadow of the Earth on the Moon. The Earth, Sun, and Moon change positions, causing the phases.