What force can move the oceans
Chemistry · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021
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The primary force that can move the oceans is gravity, specifically the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. This gravitational force causes the phenomenon known as tides, which are the regular rise and fall of sea levels.
When the moon's gravity pulls on the Earth, it causes the water closest to the moon to bulge out towards it, creating a high tide. The inertia of the ocean's water, or its tendency to keep moving, creates another bulge on the opposite side of the Earth, resulting in two high tides each day. Similarly, the areas at 90 degrees to the bulges experience low tides.