I know the Earth is more strongly attracted to the Sun than the Moon by gravity, so why are tides caused predominantly by the Moon?

1 Answer
Andrea B.
Nov 3, 2017

it isn't true the Earth is more strongly attracted to the Sun than the Moon by gravity, but it is attrachted 2,2 time less. In spite of the mass of sun is is #2 xx 10^30 kg# and mass of moon is only #7,35 xx 10^22 kg# that is #3 xx 10^7#time less, the distance in #1,5 xx 10^8km# for sun and #3,85 xx 10^3 km# for the moon that is about #4 xx 10^4 #time less.

The force of gravity depends from the mass but from the square of distance accordin to #F= K(M_s xx M_t)/ d^2# and rapporting for the two bodies we have the rate between attraction of sun/attraction of moon= # 3 xx 10^7/ (4 xx 10^4)^2 = 0,5#

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