Tidal force

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 after breaking up under the influence of Jupiter's tidal forces.
Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 after breaking up under the influence of Jupiter's tidal forces.

The tidal force is a secondary effect of the force of gravity and is responsible for the tides. It arises because the gravitational field is not constant across a body's diameter.

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