Factoid/2002/09/17
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Why the Moon Influences Tides More Than the Sun
- "...the difference in attraction for water particles at various places on the earth is far more important than total attraction. That is, because of the moon's very nearness (average only 239,000 miles) there is a big difference in the gravitational attraction from one side of the earth to the other. The water on the side of the earth nearest the moon is some four thousand miles closer to the moon than is the center of the earth; the water on the far side is four thousand miles farther away, and a few thousand miles one way or the other make comparatively little difference. Thus, the sun's gravitational force, although far larger, does not change very much from one side of the earth to the other. So the moon is more important in producing tides." (Excerpt from the book, Waves and Beaches, by Willard Boscom, Anchor Books, 1980, pg. 94)
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