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I have been trying to understand how our ocean tides work and read about the effect of our moon's and sun's gravitation.
I have learned there are diurnal, semi-durnal and mixed semi-diurnal tidal patterns
When the moon is directly overhead equatorially (near side), I've seen illustrations showing how the oceans bulge outward on both the sides of the earth, that facing the moon and the opposite side of the Earth (180degr), such that both sides experience a high tide simultaneously. So the coasts facing the atlantic and pacific oceans, experience 2 high and 2 low tides per day, a semi-diurnal or mixed patterns. I also realize that the sun and moon create 'spring' and 'neap' tides.
My question is, when the moon is adjacent to one side, why is the bulge "equally large" on the far side of the earth? What physical forces cause this to happen?
(If I had not seen the illustrations, my intuition leads me to think the ocean would bulge to a much greater degree on the side facing the moon).
Once I understand how this happens, it will make more sense how the sun causes a "spring" tide when the earth, moon and sun line up during "both" a full and new moon.
I have learned there are diurnal, semi-durnal and mixed semi-diurnal tidal patterns
When the moon is directly overhead equatorially (near side), I've seen illustrations showing how the oceans bulge outward on both the sides of the earth, that facing the moon and the opposite side of the Earth (180degr), such that both sides experience a high tide simultaneously. So the coasts facing the atlantic and pacific oceans, experience 2 high and 2 low tides per day, a semi-diurnal or mixed patterns. I also realize that the sun and moon create 'spring' and 'neap' tides.
My question is, when the moon is adjacent to one side, why is the bulge "equally large" on the far side of the earth? What physical forces cause this to happen?
(If I had not seen the illustrations, my intuition leads me to think the ocean would bulge to a much greater degree on the side facing the moon).
Once I understand how this happens, it will make more sense how the sun causes a "spring" tide when the earth, moon and sun line up during "both" a full and new moon.
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