How does the Sun influence the tides that we experience on Earth?
A) The Sun also raises tides on Earth, but its effect is smaller than that of the Moon
B) The Sun is much too far away to any significant tides on our planet
C) The Sun has a much greater mass than the Moon, so its tides on Earth are much larger than the tides raised by the Moon
D) The Sun's tides are exactly equal to those of the Moon, but sometimes they add to the Moon's tides, while sometimes they cancel out the Moon's tides, so we see no tides
E) The Sun's tides depend on what season we are in, and are very different in winter than in summer
Section 4.7: Eclipses of the Sun and the Moon

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Sun also raises tides on Earth, but its effect is smaller than that of the Moon. This is because the Moon is much closer to Earth than the Sun, and its gravitational pull on the oceans is stronger. However, during spring tides (when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are in alignment), the Sun's influence can amplify the tides raised by the Moon, leading to even higher high tides and lower low tides.

How Does the Sun Influence the Tides That We Experience