ElI5: Difference between tidal force and gravity.
In: Physics
Gravity:
Imagine you have a big magnet (Earth) that pulls on all your toys (objects). No matter where your toys are, the magnet always tries to pull them towards its center. That’s like gravity – it’s the force that pulls everything towards the center of a planet or star.
Tidal force:
Now, think about stretching a rubber band. If you pull both ends, the middle gets thinner. Tidal force is kind of like that. It’s a stretching force caused by gravity being different in different places.
The key difference:
– Gravity pulls everything towards one point.
– Tidal force stretches things because gravity isn’t the same everywhere.
For example, the moon’s gravity causes tidal forces on Earth. It pulls more on the side of Earth facing it, and less on the far side. This stretching effect causes our oceans to bulge out, creating tides.
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