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The sun exerts almost 200 times more force on the oceans of the Earth than the moon does Why then is the moon more effective in raising tides?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Actually, the Sun's force due to gravity on the Earth (and thus upon the oceans) is approximately 179.5 times that of the moon. It should also be noted that the Sun's tidal forces are still present, but are only about 45.5% as strong as the moon's tidal forces.
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The moon has a greater influence on the tides because tidal effects arrise from the difference of gravitational forces at different places on the planet, and the force due to gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between two objects. The diameter of the Earth is approximately 12,700 Km. The Earth is approximately 149,000,000 Km from the Sun, so the difference of the force due to gravity from the sun at the near side of the Earth compared to the far side of the Earth is 0.0170%. The Moon, on the other hand, is approximately 384,000 Km from the Earth, so the difference of the force due to the gravity of the moon at the near side of the Earth compared to the far side of the Earth is 6.72%.
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The moon's gravitational force difference is therefore about 395 times greater than the sun's gravitational force difference. Remember, the sun's overall gravitational force is still 179.5 times stronger than the moon's gravitational force. So to get the moon's tidal forces in proportion to the sun's tidal forces, we take 395/179.5, which is 2.2. Thus, the moon's tidal forces are 2.2 times greater than the sun's tidal forces, or as we stated at the outset, the sun's tidal forces are 45.5% that of the moon's tidal forces.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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What exerts the greatest tidal force on the oceans?
It is the moon. The sun is a weak second.
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.
Where was limestone discovered?
Limestone was discovered in the deep oceans where there is a little movement of water. Almost it is found in all parts of the world.
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False. Almost all of the oxygen on Earth is found in the oceans.
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Because of the way the moon goes around the Earth and exerts a gravitational pull on the oceans.
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It is the moon. The sun is a weak second.
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The Moon's gravitational pull on our planet causes the ebb and flow, (rise and fall), of our earth's oceans.
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