Consider the characteristics of ocean tides: Statement I: Spring tides occur during the new moon and full moon phases when the gravitational pulls of the Sun and the Moon reinforce each other. Statement II: Neap tides occur during the first and third quarters of the moon when the gravitational forces act at right angles to each other. Which of the following is correct?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Spring tides produce maximum tidal ranges because the alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun combines their gravitational vectors during syzygy. Neap tides produce minimum tidal ranges because the solar and lunar gravitational pulls counteract each other at right-angle quadrature positions. Both statements accurately describe the astronomical mechanics governing coastal tidal fluctuations. Tidal forces also exert a slight braking effect on Earth rotation speed over geological time.