Does the Moon affect waves?

Waves on Earth's ocean are not caused by the Moon, they are caused by wind (air friction on the surface of the water). However, the Moon does cause tides, and tides affect waves, so we can say that the Moon does have some affect on waves.

Exactly how the Moon affects waves will depend on the location. As the tide rises, the water depth changes and the water will be moving over a different ocean floor. In some cases the waves will be over rocks instead of sand. These and other factors affect where the waves form, how big the waves are, where they break, etc. Therefore, we can find numerous ways for the Moon affect waves via its effect on tides.

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Author: Dave Owen

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