Moon+and+Tides

Gravity and inertia are what keep our solar system in tact. The Sun's gravity keeps the Earth and all of the other planets in orbit, and inertia is what keeps the orbit continuous. Similarly, the Earth's gravity keeps the moon in orbit, and inertia keeps the moon going.

The moon's gravity is responsible for the ocean tides. Even though Earth has a much stronger gravitational pull and is significantly more massive than the moon, the water molecules are attracted by the moon and are pulled in different directions. The moon's placement in the sky determines when we have high tide and low tide.

Earth's rotation determines day and night and its revolution causes the different seasons to occur. Because the Earth is tilted on an axis, the Earth's Northern and Southern Poles face different directions as the Earth revolves around the Sun. This causes temperature and weather changes all around the Globe for 365.25 days a year.

Eclipses occur when either the moon comes directly between the Earth and the Sun, or the Earth comes directly between the moon and the Sun. When the moon casts its shadow upon Earth that is a Solar Eclipse, and the moon completely blocks the sun. A Lunar Eclipse is caused when the Earth casts its shadow upon the moon. This causes the moon to be completely blocked from the sun's light.

Read and post a Discussion on 3 of the following articles. The title of your discussion will be the title of the article. = "Tides, Earth's Rotation Among Sources of Giant Underwater Waves" =

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100224165231.htm

= Predicting Major Weather Disasters  "Disaster Experts Map Risk Across the Nation" = http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0801-predicting_major_weather_disasters.htm

= "Smell of Salt Air Surprisingly Detected a Mile High and 900 Miles Inland" =

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100310134150.htm

= "Impacts of Changing Climate on Ocean Biology" =

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100225122701.htm

= Uncovering the Mysteries of the Seas  Are Bioluminescent Bacteria Behind Milky Seas Legend? =

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0707-uncovering_the_mysteries_of_the_seas.htm