How Does the Moon Affect the Tides?

The Moon pulls on the Earth, just like a magnet pulls on metal. When it’s close to the ocean, it tugs the water up, making high tide. On the other side of the Earth, the water also gets pulled away, creating another high tide. In between, we get low tide. It's like playing with a slinky: when you pull one end, the other end moves too.

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Examples

  1. The ocean waves up like a smile when the moon shines bright above.
  2. When you're on the beach and the water comes closer to you, that's high tide!
  3. You leave your shoes on the sand, and by the time you come back, they're underwater. That’s low tide.

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Categories: Science · tides· moon· gravity