Final answer:
The Moon's gravity causes ocean tides by creating bulges of water on both the side of Earth nearest to the Moon and on the opposite side. Earth's rotation carries any given point through these bulges, leading to a cycle of two high and two low tides every approximately 12.5 hours. The Sun also influences tides, with spring tides at new and full moons, and neap tides at half-moons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding the relationship between high and low tides and the moon's location involves examining the gravitational interaction between Earth and the Moon. The Moon's gravity pulls on Earth's oceans, creating a bulge of water closest to the Moon. This bulge is the high tide. Since Earth rotates, any point on its surface passes through this bulge, leading to predictable high tides.
Interestingly, there is a second bulge on the opposite side of Earth caused by the Moon's gravity pulling Earth slightly more than the water on this far side. As a result, this distant water forms another high tide, ensuring that at any given location, we experience two high tides each day.
Between these bulges, the water level drops, creating low tides. The rotational period of Earth leads to the succession of two high and two low tides roughly every 12.5 hours, accounting for the Moon's orbit as well.
Additionally, the Sun's gravitational influence modifies tide height, with the most significant tides, spring tides, occurring when Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are aligned during the new or full moon. The least significant tides, referred to as neap tides, occur when the Moon is at a right angle to the line between Earth and the Sun, typically during a half-moon.