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Tidal force facts for kids

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

Tidal force is caused by gravity and makes tides happen. This is because the gravitational field changes across the middle of a body (the diameter).


Images for kids

  • Inverse x squaired

    Figure 3: Graph showing how gravitational attraction drops off with increasing distance from a body

  • Saturn PIA06077

    Figure 5: Saturn's rings are inside the orbits of its principal moons. Tidal forces oppose gravitational coalescence of the material in the rings to form moons.

  • Inseparable galactic twins

    Figure 6: Tidal force is responsible for the merge of galactic pair MRK 1034.

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