Tide Waves Research Paper

The rise and fall of sea levels caused by the effects of the gravitational forces applied by the moon, sun, and the rotation of the Earth are known as tides. The movements of the Earth, the sun, and the moon are key in understanding how tides work. Gravitational pull, centrifugal force, distance, and mass determine the actions of the ocean’s tides. Gravity and centrifugal force work in opposite directions to keep the ocean’s water levels balanced. As the Earth rotates on its axis, gravity pulls inward and centrifugal force pushes outward.
Despite the efforts of Earth’s forces to keep sea levels balanced, the moon’s much stronger gravitational force often disrupts this balance by pulling the water towards the moon. As a result, while the Earth spins on its axis and the moon orbits the Earth, the tides also move. The places on Earth where tides rise toward the moon are experiencing high tide, while other areas are subject to low tide. Surprisingly, water on the side of the Earth facing away from the moon can also experience high tide. Interestingly enough, these seas can experience high tide due to the moon and the Earth revolving together around a center of mass. The relationship between the Earth and the moon is characterized by gravity acting as a rope, pulling the Earth and the moon together. As gravity causes these bodies to become more attracted to each other, centrifugal …show more content…
Using lunar calendars and the common knowledge that the moon’s phases are a direct result of the moon’s position in its orbit around Earth, the phase of the moon at any point in time can be predicted with high reliability. The average person could predict that in a year the moon will be full, as opposed to the New Moon being experienced