ourfoothills

They come and they go, and they are fun to watch as they ebb and flow.But beyond being mesmerizing to look at, a little insight might help to appreciate their important role in nature.

• The gravitational force of the moon is one ten-millionth that of earth, but when you combine other forces such as the earth’s centrifugal force created by its spin, you get tides.
• The sun’s gravitational force on the earth is only 46 percent that of the moon. Making the moon the single most important factor for the creation of tides.
• The sun’s gravity also produces tides. But since the forces are smaller, as compared to the moon, the effects are greatly decreased.
• Tides are not caused by the direct pull of the moon’s gravity. The moon is pulling Read the rest of this entry »