What happens on the side of Earth opposite the moon?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the effects of the moon's gravitational pull on the Earth, particularly in terms of what happens on the side of the Earth that is not facing the moon. This involves understanding phenomena like ocean tides and gravitational forces.
Answer
A tidal bulge forms due to lesser gravitational pull and water inertia.
On the side of Earth opposite the moon, a tidal bulge forms due to the lesser gravitational pull of the moon and the inertia of the water trying to move in a straight line away from Earth.
Answer for screen readers
On the side of Earth opposite the moon, a tidal bulge forms due to the lesser gravitational pull of the moon and the inertia of the water trying to move in a straight line away from Earth.
More Information
This tidal bulge phenomenon is also referred to as the 'inertial bulge'. The Earth's rotation and the gravitational interaction with the moon jointly contribute to the creation of two tidal bulges.
Tips
A common misconception is that tides are solely due to the moon's gravitational pull. Both the moon's gravity and the Earth's rotation contribute to this effect.
Sources
- What Causes Tides? | NOAA SciJinks – All About Weather - scijinks.gov
- Educational Tides Tutorial - oceanservice.noaa.gov
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