Tides are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on Earth’s oceans, creating bulges of water that result in high and low tides. As the Earth rotates, different areas move into and out of these bulges, leading to the cyclic rise and fall of sea levels. Monitoring tides is crucial for humans, particularly for navigation, coastal planning, and predicting potential flooding, as tides can significantly affect maritime operations and shoreline stability. A spring tide occurs when the sun, moon, and Earth align during full and new moons, leading to the highest high tides and lowest low tides due to the combined gravitational effects. In contrast, a neap tide occurs when the moon is at a right angle to the sun in relation to Earth (during the first and third quarters), resulting in lower high tides and higher low tides as the gravitational forces partially cancel each other out.
Explain in detail what causes tides and give one reason why it is important for humans to monitor tides. Explain the difference between a NEAP tide and a SPRING tide. (4 points) IN 5 SENTENCES
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