Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following?Gravitational force of the SunGr

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UPSC Prelims is a competitive examination conducted in India. This question is from the 2015 UPSC Prelims Geography paper.

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To prepare for UPSC Prelims Geography, practice previous year questions (PYQs), understand concepts thoroughly, and solve mock tests regularly. This 2015 question covers Ocean Currents, Tides & El Nino / La Nina topic.

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This UPSC Prelims 2015 Geography question has a easy difficulty level and is marked as an important question.

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Question

Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following?Gravitational force of the SunGravitational force of the MoonCentrifugal force of the EarthSelect the correct answer using the code given below:

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: D — 1, 2 and 3Step-by-step Solution:Tides are the periodic rise and fall of sea levels caused by a combination of gravitational and inertial forces. All three factors contribute:Factor 1 — Gravitational force of the Sun: Correct. The Sun's gravitational pull on Earth's oceans creates tidal bulges — though because the Sun is much farther away than the Moon (despite being far more massive), the Sun's tidal effect is approximately 46% that of the Moon's. When the Sun and Moon align (new moon or full moon), their gravitational forces combine to produce exceptionally high 'spring tides.' When they are at right angles (first and third quarter moons), they partially cancel out, producing lower 'neap tides.' ✓Factor 2 — Gravitational force of the Moon: Correct. The Moon is the primary driver of tides. Despite being far smaller than the Sun, the Moon's closer proximity means its gravitational force varies more strongly across Earth's diameter, creating a greater tidal effect (about 2.2 times stronger than the Sun's tidal force). The Moon creates two tidal bulges — one facing the Moon (direct gravitational pull) and one on the opposite side (where the centrifugal/inertial effect dominates). ✓Factor 3 — Centrifugal force of the Earth: Correct. As Earth and the Moon orbit their common centre of mass (the barycentre, located within Earth but offset from its centre), centrifugal force acts outward — away from the Moon. This centrifugal force creates the tidal bulge on the far side of Earth from the Moon (explaining why there are two high tides per day, not just one). The combination of the Moon's gravitational pull (near side bulge) and centrifugal force (far side bulge) explains the semi-diurnal tidal pattern in most oceans. ✓Key Concept: Tidal types: Diurnal (one high, one low per day — Gulf of Mexico); Semi-diurnal (two highs, two lows per day — Bay of Fundy, UK coast); Mixed semi-diurnal (two unequal highs and lows — Pacific coasts). Spring tides (syzygy) — Sun, Moon, Earth aligned (new/full moon); highest amplitude. Neap tides (quadrature) — Sun and Moon at right angles; lowest amplitude. Bay of Fundy (Canada) — world's highest tidal range (~16 metres). India's tidal power potential: Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat have tidal ranges of 6-12 metres — significant for tidal energy. Tidal energy stations use the kinetic energy of tidal flows or the potential energy of tidal ranges. India's tidal power: limited development despite potential.

Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following?Gravitational force of the SunGravitational force of the MoonCentrifugal force of the EarthSelect the correct answer using the code given below:

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Tides occur in the oceans and seas due to which among the following?Gravitational force of the SunGravitational force of the MoonCentrifugal force of the EarthSelect the correct answer using the code given below:

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More Questions from Ocean Currents, Tides & El Nino / La Nina

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