What is a Neap Tide?

1 Answer
Jan 26, 2018

Neap tides are the tides with the least difference between the high and low tides.
They are the two lowest high tides of the month.

Explanation:

Tides are caused by gravitational attraction from the moon and from the sun.

When the sun and moon are both pulling in the #same# direction, the tides get higher than usual.

But when the sun and moon are pulling at #right # #a##ng##l##es### to each other, the tides don't get as high as usual.

When the gravitational pull of the sun and moon are working together, it causes an unusually high tide called a spring tide.

When the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon are pulling at right angles to each other, it causes an unusually low high tide called a neap tide.

Here is a diagram showing how gravitational pull causes
spring tides and neap tides:

enter image source here
http://www.millerslocal.co.za/the-inside-skinny-on-tides.html