Jasmine: Hi, l'm Jasmine.
Chrissy: I'm Chrissy.
Jasmine: We're from NIU STEAM and...
Chrissy: You're listening to The Sound of Science on WNIJ.
Jasmine: Maddi, a Barb City STEAM Team regular, would like to know how the Moon can affect the oceans here on Earth?
Chrissy: That's a great question! Much of the answer to this question is gravity. The Earth's gravity keeps the Moon in place as it orbits around our planet. The Moon's gravity exerts something called a tidal force on the Earth.
Jasmine: The gravitational forces of the Moon will pull on the part of the Earth that is closest to it, causing the Earth's oceans to bulge towards it. The same bulge can be found on the side of the Earth directly opposite the Moon due to inertia. Where these bulges exist, high tides will occur. Because it rotates on its axis, different locations on the Earth's oceans will experience high tides at various times because of where they are in relation to the Moon.
Chrissy: There are times during the month when the Sun will work conjunction with the Moon. The Sun, Earth, and Moon are all aligned during a full and new moon. The gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon will combine causing a greater difference in high and low tides. This is called "Spring Tide" because tide levels seem to spring back. Gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon partially cancel each other out when they are at 90 degrees to each in relation to the Earth. This causes the difference between high and low tide to be minimal and is called "Neap Tide".
Jasmine: Humans have harnessed the rising and falling of tides to turn turbines and generate electricity by building tidal dams. Cruise lines and the freight industry will use the timing of high and low tides to save fuel as they schedule when to enter and leave port.
Chrissy: You have been listening to The Sound of Science on WNIJ, where you learn something new every day.
