How do I develop physical intuition for the tidal force?

AI Thread Summary
To develop physical intuition for tidal forces, it's essential to understand the concept of 'stretching' due to gravitational differences on opposite ends of an object near a massive body. The discussion emphasizes that the gravitational force can be approximated using a Taylor series, particularly focusing on the 1/r^3 term. However, the coefficients of this term require a deeper understanding of the force differential experienced by the object. By considering the relationship between the size of the smaller body and its distance from the massive body, one can better grasp the nature of tidal forces. This approach provides a more intuitive framework for understanding how tidal forces operate in gravitational interactions.
Simfish
Gold Member
Messages
811
Reaction score
2
I know that it corresponds to the 1/r^3 term in the Taylor series expansion of the gravitational force. But Taylor series expansions can't give me any physical intuition. By physical intuition, I mean that I want to know why the coefficients for the 1/r^3 term are the way they are.
 
Last edited:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
There is a better way (in my opinion) to think about it:
Consider the 'stretching' (force difference) on the two radially-opposite ends of a body (say, length 'l') near another far more massive body (mass 'M'). Make the assumption that the distance between the two objects ('R') is much larger than the size of the smaller body; e.g. l << R
 

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Thread 'Could fast radio bursts be alien radar signals?'

Both have short pulses of emission and a wide spectral bandwidth, covering a wide variety of frequencies: "Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are detected over a wide range of radio frequencies, including frequencies around 1400 MHz, but have also been detected at lower frequencies, particularly in the 400–800 MHz range. Russian astronomers recently detected a powerful burst at 111 MHz, expanding our understanding of the FRB range. Frequency Ranges: 1400 MHz: Many of the known FRBs have been detected...
View full post »

Similar threads

I Tidal forces acting on planet NGTS-10b
Replies
2
Views
3K
I Are Tidal Forces Curvature of Space?
Replies
9
Views
2K
Tidal Bulge Theory
Replies
13
Views
2K
I Voids, dark energy and tidal forces...?
Replies
0
Views
2K
How do the tidal forces warming moons theories hold when []
Replies
12
Views
3K
I Tidal effects on Earth's rotation and moon's orbit
Replies
10
Views
4K
I Tidal effects of galaxies orbiting one another with dark energy?
Replies
2
Views
2K
I Can the Lieb-Robinson Bound be Intuited from the Taylor Series of an Operator?
Replies
1
Views
1K
I Supermassive black hole, surface gravity and tidal forces
2
Replies
62
Views
7K
Understanding the generic nature of linearity in Physics
Replies
2
Views
935

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top