the phases of the moon cause gravitational pull on the water in the ocean and cause

 The phases of the moon cause gravitational pull on the water in the ocean and cause tides. There are two main types of tides: spring tides and neap tides.

1. Spring tides happen when the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are in a line (during full moon and new moon phases). The gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun combine to produce the highest and lowest tides of the lunar cycle, known as spring tides.

2. Neap tides occur during the first and third quarters of the moon when the moon appears half full. At these times, the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun are perpendicular to one another, which results in lower high tides and higher low tides compared to spring tides.

During each lunar cycle, there are roughly two spring tides and two neap tides. The exact times and magnitude of the tides can be influenced by the interplay of various factors including the distance of the moon from the Earth, the position of the sun relative to the moon, and local geographic features.