---
title: "The gravitational force that the Moon exerts on Earth is often cited as the source of the tides we witness. However, the gravitational force the Sun exerts on Earth is over \\(100\\) times greater than the force the Moon exerts on Earth.    Why is the force from the Moon credited for the tides, and not the force from the Sun?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/19559/"
date_modified: "2025-09-23T03:46:52+00:00"
---

# The gravitational force that the Moon exerts on Earth is often cited as the source of the tides we witness. However, the gravitational force the Sun exerts on Earth is over \(100\) times greater than the force the Moon exerts on Earth.    Why is the force from the Moon credited for the tides, and not the force from the Sun?

The gravitational force that the Moon exerts on Earth is often cited as the source of the tides we witness. However, the gravitational force the Sun exerts on Earth is over \(100\) times greater than the force the Moon exerts on Earth.

Why is the force from the Moon credited for the tides, and not the force from the Sun?

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/19559/*