Why does the moon have gravitational power to create tides, but not to lift any other objects?

Question

If the moon creates the tides, why don’t any other objects get lifted by its gravitational pull?

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

If I run my finger over the surface of the chair I’m sitting in, I can create a moving dimple about 1mm high. The height is limited by the fact that a solid like a chair is resistant to being deformed. If I exert the same force on a liquid, I can get a much larger wave, especially if I move at the right speed, or if it sloshes up against the side of a tank. Similarly the moon lifts the land by about 50 cm at the equator. It just lifts the ocean more.