Question

Why do we have 2 high tides and two low tides every 24 hours?

Answer 1

We have 2 high tides and 2 low tides every 24 hours due to the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on the Earth's oceans. The gravitational pull of the moon causes a bulge in the ocean on the side of the Earth facing the moon, which creates a high tide. At the same time, there is another high tide on the opposite side of the Earth, where the gravitational pull is the weakest, because the Earth is pulled away from the water on that side. This creates two high tides every 24 hours. The same process causes two low tides every 24 hours, as the water recedes from the high tide bulges. The gravitational pull of the sun also contributes to the tides, but it's much weaker than the moon's pull.