What role does the sun play in the formation of tides? I read the article that you posted DrBob22, but I want it in short terms, and am unable to put it in them, please help.
The sun plays the same role in tides as the moon; i.e., the attraction for two bodies for each other. The sun's role in tides is about 44% while the moon's role in tides is about 56%. The sun is much larger then the moon but it is also much further away which accounts for the smaller influence of the sun.
thank you so much:-)
You should really work on reading articles, understanding them, then putting them into your own words; i.e., writing a summary. Most of the volunteers on this board (that includes me) are not willing to read the article and summarize it for you, nor should we. We aren't doing you any favors if we do that.
Sorry, I'll try to next time, but some words in those articles are so hard for me to understand, and I really don't want to go and look up each definition of those words, every minute. I understand videos way better.
Sure! I'd be happy to explain the role of the sun in the formation of tides in simpler terms.
The sun plays a significant role in the formation of tides through its gravitational pull on Earth's oceans. Although the moon has a stronger gravitational influence on tides, the sun's gravity also has an impact.
Here's a simplified explanation of how it works:
1. Gravitational Force: The sun's gravitational force pulls on the Earth and its oceans.
2. Solar Tides: The sun's gravitational pull creates what is called "solar tides." Solar tides occur when the sun's gravity causes Earth's ocean water to bulge slightly.
3. Spring Tides: Twice a month, during the new moon and full moon, the gravitational forces of both the sun and the moon combine. This alignment creates more significant tidal bulges and leads to higher high tides and lower low tides. These are called "spring tides."
4. Neap Tides: When the moon is at a quarter phase, the gravitational forces of the sun and the moon partially cancel each other out. This results in smaller tidal bulges, leading to less extreme differences between high and low tides. These are called "neap tides."
In summary, while the moon has a greater influence on tides, the sun's gravitational pull contributes to the overall tidal patterns we observe. The combined effects of the sun and moon result in the regular ebb and flow of tides along coastlines worldwide.