EXPLANATION
GS14. Which of the following is responsible for causing tides on Earth?
a) Moon
b) Sun
c) Earth's rotation
d) Earth's magnetic field
ANSWER: a) Moon
EXPLANATION:
The main cause of tides on Earth is the a) Moon. The Moon's gravity pulls on the Earth's oceans, creating bulges of water on the sides of the Earth that are closest to and farthest from the Moon. These bulges are called high tides. As the Earth rotates, different parts of the Earth pass through these bulges, causing the tides to rise and fall twice a day.
The Sun also has a gravitational pull on the Earth's oceans, but it is not as strong as the Moon's pull. This is because the Sun is much farther away from the Earth than the Moon is. The Sun's gravitational pull does contribute to the tides, but it is not the main cause.
Earth's rotation and Earth's magnetic field do not cause tides. Earth's rotation causes the tides to rise and fall, but it is the Moon's gravity that creates the bulges of water in the first place. Earth's magnetic field does not have any significant effect on the tides.
