Question map
Which one of the following statements is correct about Spring tides?
Explanation
Spring tides occur when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are aligned in a straight line, a position known as syzygy, which happens during new moon and full moon phases [1][5]. During this alignment, the gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon reinforce each other, leading to a combined tidal force that is significantly stronger than usual [5]. Consequently, the tidal range—the difference between high and low water—is at its maximum [3][5]. This results in high tides that are higher than the average high tide and low tides that are lower than the average low tide [5]. In contrast, neap tides occur when the Sun and Moon are at right angles, causing their gravitational pulls to partially cancel out, which leads to lower high tides and higher low tides than average.
Sources
- [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 13: Movements of Ocean Water > Tides based on the Sun, Moon and the Earth Positions > p. 110
- [5] https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_tides/tides06_variations.html
- [3] https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/restles4.html