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While the Moon is much smaller than the Sun, it is much closer to the Earth than the Sun.
Newton's law of gravitation is that any two bodies in the universe attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
The distance from the Sun to the Earth means that its gravitation force is effectively less than that exerted by the Moon and thus the Moon's tidal component is larger.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoTidal forces decrease rather quickly with increasing distance. While the moon is much less massive than the sun, it is also far closer, and therefore has a stronger tidal influence.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe moon and the sun have an effect on the tides
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoThough the moon is much smaller than the sun, it is nearer to earth, so exerts a greater gravitational force on the earth's oceans.
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Why does the moon have a greater affect on tides then the sun does?
Though the Moon is much smaller than the Sun, it is closer to Earth than the Sun. So exerts a greater gravitation effect on Earth's oceans and seas.
Which celestial bodies are responsible for the tides?
You're fishing for "Earth and Moon", but your outlook on the whole matter seriouslyneeds broadening.-- In the case of tides on the Earth, the Sun has almost as much influence on themas the Moon has.-- In principle, every two celestial bodies are responsible for raising tides on each other,as the result of the mutual forces of gravitational attraction between them.
Does gravity effect high and low tides?
It's not the moon's gravity alone, but the interaction of the earth and moon. One influence is the fact that the earth-moon system orbits around the common center of gravity of earth-moon. This point is called the barycenter, and it is within the body of the earth since earth's mass is considerably larger than the moon's mass. As the earth wobbles around the barycenter, it tends to push the water out from behind the barycenter. At the same time, the gravitational attraction of the moon is stronger on the water that is moon-side than it is on the water on the opposite side of earth. So there is a high tide bulge on two opposite sides of the earth at once, and of course then there are two low tide areas at roughly 90 degree angles to the high tides.
What happens to the sun moon and the earth are all at right angles?
In that case, the tides caused by the the Sun and the Moon cancel in part, so the tides will be weaker than at other times.
Why is it that some tides are higher?
The moon exerts a gravitational pull on earth. As a result, the ocean and Earth itself is pulled towards the moon. Confusingly, this means that the ocean bulges at the side closest to the moon as well as on the side furthest from the moon. As the Earth spins underneath the moon (one full spin for every 24 hours) so the swelled oceans move along the surface of Earth to stay positioned below the moon. As a result, the tides are high twice a day and low twice a day.
What has the greater affect on tides the moon or the sun?
The moon causes larger tides than the sun, even though the sun is much larger than the moon, because the moon is tremendously closer to the Earth than the sun is.
Why is the effect of the sun on earths tides less than that on the moon?
because it is farther away from earth
The effect of the moon on earths ocean?
The main effect is the tides. There are two high tides in slightly more than a day and two low tides in slightly more than a day . The mean time between high and low tides is 6 hours 22 min and few seconds. This odd amount of time is caused by the Moon's orbiting the Earth. Compound this with the Sun's effect on the tides. When the Sun , Moon and Earth are in line we have Spring Tides and when the Sun Moon and Earth are at first/last quarter we have Neap Tides. This is because of gravitational pull is in different directions. Also the High tides is on the side of the Earth where the moon is. However, there is a corresponding high tide on the opposite side of the Earth; it like the balancing effect of a wheel. THere is also a 'drag' effect on tidal height. The highest/lowest Spring tides come may a day ot two after the New/Full Moon. Similarly for Neap Tides. Also in March and September at the equinoxes Sring tides are higher and lower that at the Soltices. Again it due to the Moon;s position at these points in the year.
How do spring tides form?
When the Sun, Earth & Moon are in alignment with one another spring tides occur. Spring tides are higher than average. When the Sun - Earth line is at right angles to the Earth - Moon line, we see "neap" tides, which are lower than average.
Why does the Moon have a greater influence on Earth's tides than the Sun does?
Fancy boy
Why does the sun affect the tides less than the moon does?
The sun has less effect on the tides than the moon because it is much farther away.
Why does the moon have a greater affect on tides then the sun does?
Though the Moon is much smaller than the Sun, it is closer to Earth than the Sun. So exerts a greater gravitation effect on Earth's oceans and seas.
If the moon causes tides then why don't other thing rise up towards the moon?
The gravitational pull of the earth is stronger than the gravitational pull of the moon. This doesn't mean that the gravitational pull of the moon has no effect, it's just that the effect is very hard to notice, except on something like tides, because they involve literally all of the earth's oceans. The moon's gravity is affecting you and everything on earth right now; but the effects are so tiny they can't be noticed. It's only when you combine all of the moon's entire gravitational energy over the entire earth that you can notice its effect - with tides.
Which pulls with greater force on the earth's oceans the sun or the moon?
The gravity from the Sun is more than the gravity from the Moon. However, the Moon has a greater effect on the tides.The gravity from the Sun is more than the gravity from the Moon. However, the Moon has a greater effect on the tides.The gravity from the Sun is more than the gravity from the Moon. However, the Moon has a greater effect on the tides.The gravity from the Sun is more than the gravity from the Moon. However, the Moon has a greater effect on the tides.
How is a tidal range affected when the moon earth and sun are in line?
Spring tides occur in principle when the three objects are lined up so that the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon are combined. In practice in many places the spring tides occur 1-2 days later. Tides are a proximity effect, which means that the Moon's effect on the tides is the major effect because it's closer, while the Sun's overall gravitational force on the Earth is much stronger. Tides happen because the Moon's gravity is much stronger on one side of the Earth than the other, because it's close, while the difference is not so much with the Sun's gravity because it's a lot further away.
Spring tides occur when the sun moon earth?
Spring tides (which are a little higher than average) occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth are pretty much lined up; at the new moon and the full moon. Lower-than-average "neap" tides happen at the 1st and 3rd quarter moon phases.
Spring tides occur when the sun moon and earth?
Spring tides (which are a little higher than average) occur when the Sun, Moon and Earth are pretty much lined up; at the new moon and the full moon. Lower-than-average "neap" tides happen at the 1st and 3rd quarter moon phases.
