ENVIRON 222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Tide, Atmospheric Tide, Centripetal Force
Document Summary
Tides are very long and regular shallow-water waves causing periodic (predictable) changes in sea level and currents. The same physics also apply to the earth-sun system, thus yielding a solar equilibrium tide. The actual tides are a complex response of the ocean system - involving friction, rotation, the shape of the seafloor, the placement of continents, and motions of the solid earth - to the much simpler equilibrium tide. Barycenter is between moon and earth revolves around the sun. Inversely proportional to square of separation distance r. The gravitational force is largest on the side of the earth closer to the moon and least on the side further from the moon. The force is always directed toward the center of the moon. Center-seeking force; rotation about barrycenter or center of mass between two bodies in orbital motion. The centripetal force (the red arrows) is everywhere the same.
