Is it true that gravitation on the full moon day is less than other days?

In summary, the full moon has a slightly larger gravitational pull on Earth due to its proximity, but this is a very small difference. The only practical difference between a full moon and any other phase is that it reflects more sunlight, making it easier to see at night. The tides are slightly affected by the alignment of the Sun and Moon during a full moon, but this effect is also very small. There is no evidence to support claims that the moon phases affect human behavior or health.
  • #1
mreq
77
0
On the full moon day the moon is closer to Earth so the gravitation of the moon make the gravitation of the Earth on us less strong.
Is it true ?
Thanks !
 
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  • #2
Since the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the radius squared the gravitational attraction of the moon on you will be larger when the moon is close. This difference is very small. If the moon would be directly overhead at both apogee and perigee the difference in gravitational acceleration would be of the order 10^-5 m/s^2.
 
  • #3
That depends upon what you mean by "gravitation". The gravitational pull of the Earth is the same wherever the moon is. If the moon is directly above you then the actual force pulling down on you, due to both moon and earth, would slightly less since the moon's pull very slightly offsets the eath's.

But that has nothing to do with there being a full moon. The full moon occurs when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun and you can have a full moon with the "sun, center of earth" line and "center of earth, moon" lines are not on the same line and neither goes through you.
 
  • #4
But then what is the energy on the full moons ?
 
  • #5
The only practical difference between a full moon and any other is that a full moon reflects the most sunlight, which makes it easier to see at night without artificial lighting.
 
  • #6
Janus said:
The only practical difference between a full moon and any other is that a full moon reflects the most sunlight, which makes it easier to see at night without artificial lighting.

Ok. But i know that moon phases have an influence on tides. Which is that ?
 
  • #8
During a full moon, and a new moon as well, the tidal influences of the Sun and Moon are aligned. During quarter moons the tides are out of phase and partially cancel.

The tidal forces are very, very small. Assuming you weigh 150 lb, the tidal forces from the Moon decrease your weight by about 1.7×10-5 lbf when the Moon is directly overhead/underfoot, and increase your weight by about 8×10-6 lbf when the Moon is on the horizon.
 
  • #9
I'm sure that is an energy that grows and decreases with the moon phases. But i don't know what it is ?
 
  • #10
mreq said:
I'm sure that is an energy that grows and decreases with the moon phases. But i don't know what it is ?

Other than the insignificant effect due to tides and the increase in lighting already discussed, there is nothing else.
 
  • #11
mreq said:
I'm sure that is an energy that grows and decreases with the moon phases. But i don't know what it is ?

You might be thinking of the loonies becoming more energetic around full moon. You could check this by looking up emergency room statistics.
 
  • #13
cesiumfrog said:
You might be thinking of the loonies becoming more energetic around full moon. You could check this by looking up emergency room statistics.

Sorry, what are loonies ?
 
  • #14
When the moon - Earth - sun are aligned at the full moon, is the gravitation on Earth less ?
 
  • #16
mreq said:
When the moon - Earth - sun are aligned at the full moon, is the gravitation on Earth less ?



If you mean that someone would weigh less, then it depends. If the local time was around noon or midnight (give or take a couple of hrs), then yes. If it were around sunrise or sunset, then you would weigh more. But as pointed out in an earlier post, this difference would be very,very small; the difference in weight being about the equivalent of a large grain of sand.
The size of this difference would also depend on what latitude you were at and the time of year.

Also, this is not restricted to the times of a full moon. You get the same thing on the times of a new moon, when the Sun and moon also align, but this time on the same side of the Earth.

Your weight also would vary over the course of a day during other phases of the moon, just not by as much.
 
  • #17
I noticed that around full moon i have a better concentration, and on the descending moon to new moon i have a less concentration. (the same with memory, energy, gain weight ...)
 
  • #18
This is a scientific forum, mreq. You are spouting either new age woo-woo nonsense or old (very old) pseudoscientific nonsense.
 
  • #19
Where i can find my answers ?
 
Last edited:
  • #20
Your sensible questions have been answered multiple times. Your nonsensical questions cannot be answered because an answer does not exist. In post #17 you haven't even asked a question just stated some mumbo jumbo. I wonder are you trying to pull our leg?
 
  • #21
It looks like there is nothing further to discuss here.

Thread closed.
 

1. What is the basis for the claim that gravitation is less on a full moon day?

The claim that gravitation is less on a full moon day is based on the idea that the gravitational pull of the moon affects the tides on Earth. The tides are caused by the difference in gravitational pull between the side of Earth closest to the moon and the side farthest from the moon. During a full moon, the Earth, moon, and sun are aligned, which means that the gravitational pull from both the moon and sun are in the same direction, resulting in higher tides. This alignment also causes a slight decrease in the overall gravitational force on Earth, leading to the claim that gravitation is less on a full moon day.

2. Is there scientific evidence to support the claim?

While the concept of lower gravitation on a full moon day may seem plausible, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. In fact, studies have shown that the gravitational force on Earth does not vary significantly during a full moon compared to other days. The impact of the moon's gravitational pull on tides is much greater than its impact on overall gravitation.

3. Can we feel the effects of lower gravitation on a full moon day?

No, we cannot feel the effects of lower gravitation on a full moon day. The difference in gravitational force is extremely small and would not be noticeable to humans. In fact, even the difference in tides during a full moon day is minimal and can only be measured with precise instruments.

4. Does the claim have any implications for space travel or other scientific phenomena?

No, the claim that gravitation is less on a full moon day does not have any implications for space travel or other scientific phenomena. The difference in gravitational force is too small to have any significant impact on these areas. In fact, scientists and engineers carefully plan and calculate trajectories for space missions, taking into account all factors that could affect the spacecraft's movement, including the gravitational pull of celestial bodies.

5. Are there any other factors that could affect gravitation on Earth?

Yes, there are many other factors that can affect the gravitational force on Earth. Some of these include the rotation of the Earth, the distribution of mass on Earth's surface, and the presence of other celestial bodies in our solar system. Additionally, the gravitational force between two objects is also dependent on their distance and mass. Therefore, the gravitational force on Earth can vary slightly due to the changing positions of the moon and other planets in our solar system.

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