What causes high and low tides on Earth?

What causes high and low tides on Earth?

• A. The Moon's gravity pulls on Earth's oceans, creating high and low tides.
• B. The Sun's gravity is the only force influencing tides.
• C. Tides are caused by ocean waves.
• D. Tides are random and have no cause.

Answer: (A)

Tides come from gravity. The Moon’s gravity pulls on Earth’s oceans, creating bulges on the side of the planet that's closest to the Moon and on the opposite side as well. As the Earth rotates, different areas move into and out of these bulges, so water is higher in some places (high tide) and lower in others (low tide). The Sun also pulls on the oceans, helping to shape tides, but the Moon’s gravity has the stronger effect because it’s much closer. Ocean waves are a separate motion, and tides aren’t random—they’re driven by these gravitational forces.

Tides come from gravity. The Moon’s gravity pulls on Earth’s oceans, creating bulges on the side of the planet that's closest to the Moon and on the opposite side as well. As the Earth rotates, different areas move into and out of these bulges, so water is higher in some places (high tide) and lower in others (low tide). The Sun also pulls on the oceans, helping to shape tides, but the Moon’s gravity has the stronger effect because it’s much closer. Ocean waves are a separate motion, and tides aren’t random—they’re driven by these gravitational forces.