The moon has a greater gravitational influence on the Earth's oceans compared to the sun due to its proximity to the Earth. The gravitational pull of the moon creates bulges in the ocean's surface, resulting in high tides. The Earth's rotation causes these bulges to move across the ocean basins, leading to the alternating cycle of high tide and low tide.
Additionally, the sun's gravitational pull also contributes to tides, but its effect is less significant than that of the moon. The alignment of the sun and the moon's gravitational forces can result in higher high tides and lower low tides during certain times of the month, such as during new moons and full moons, known as spring tides. Neap tides occur during the first and third quarter phases of the moon when the sun's and moon's gravitational forces partially counteract each other, resulting in less pronounced tides.
The Earth's coastline, shape, and local geography can influence the magnitude and timing of tides in different coastal regions. Coastal features like bays, estuaries, and inlets can amplify or diminish the tidal range. Factors such as the shape of the coastline, underwater topography, and the resonance of ocean basins can create variations in the patterns of tidal rise and fall around the world.
