What causes the pair of tidal bulges?
A) The larger one closest to the Moon is gravitational; 180° away it is inertial.
B) The east and west shores of the Americas pushing the water out of the way like giant mixer blades.
C) One is caused by the pull of the moon, the other by the sun.
D) The shape of the whole Earth gets deformed into a flattened ellipsoid by the Moon's gravity; the other bulge is due to centrifugal force bending the rocks back but delayed by a quarter revolution.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pair of tidal bulges are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon creating the larger bulge closest to it, and the inertial force creating the bulge on the opposite side of the Earth, 180° away.

What Causes the Pair of Tidal Bulges