What causes ocean tides to rise and fall?
Moon's Ocean Hug
What causes ocean tides to rise and fall?
Twice a day, give or take, the sea creeps up the beach, swallows your sandcastle, and then quietly tiptoes back out again. It's the most reliable disappearing act on Earth. So who's pulling the water back and forth like a giant, slow bathtub?
The answer is hanging right above you, looking innocent. It's the Moon. The Moon has gravity, just like Earth does — an invisible pull that tugs on everything. And the Moon is close enough to gently tug on Earth's oceans.
