How Do Tides Occur? Low tide, High Tide, Spring Tide, Neap Tide

Tides are the regular rise and fall of sea levels globally. Coastal areas experience two high and two low tides daily, influenced by the gravitational pull of the Earth, Sun, and Moon. The moon's gravitational pull is the most significant factor due to its proximity to Earth.

The moon's gravitational pull causes the ocean water, being fluid, to bulge towards it, creating high tides. A high tide also forms on the opposite side of the Earth due to centrifugal force balancing Earth's own gravitational pull. The areas between these two high tides experience low tides.

The sun, despite its immense gravitational pull, has a lesser overall effect on tides than the moon due to its distance. However, the sun's gravity can either reinforce or diminish the moon's gravitational pull on Earth.

During full moon and new moon phases, the sun, Earth, and moon align. This alignment causes the sun's gravity to reinforce the moon's gravity, leading to a maximum tide range known as spring tides.

During waxing and waning moon phases, the sun and moon are at right angles as seen from Earth. In this configuration, the sun's gravity works against the moon's gravity, resulting in unusually small tides called neap tides.