Question

Give reasons:

Every water body experiences two high tides during 24 hours.

Answer 1

Every water body experiences two high tides during 24 hours because of the combined effect of the moon’s gravitational pull and the centrifugal force due to the earth’s rotation. The side of the earth facing the moon experiences a high tide as the moon’s gravity pulls the water towards it, creating a tidal bulge. Simultaneously, on the opposite side of the earth, a second tidal bulge forms due to the centrifugal force acting outward as the earth-moon system rotates. As the earth spins on its axis, these bulges cause the water level to rise twice, resulting in two high tides approximately every 24 hours. Between these bulges, the water level falls, causing low tides. Thus, the cyclical rotation of the earth combined with these forces results in two high tides and two low tides each day.