Translations:AY Honors/Stars - Advanced/Answer Key/199/en

Since the Earth's crust is solid, it moves, along with everything inside it, as one whole, as defined by the average force on it. For the Earth's shape this average force is equal to the force on its center. The water at the surface is free to move following forces on its particles. One of the forces that effect tides is the gravity of the Moon. The force of gravity gets weaker as the distance between two bodies increases, and since the center of the Earth is farther away than the surface nearest the Moon, the Moon's gravity pulls on the surface water stronger than it pulls on the whole of the Earth. This causes the water level to rise and causes a high tide.