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spring tide
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The video thumbnail image shows a graphic of the Earth with two tidal bulges. Blue arrows point to the bulges against a white background.
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spring tide

physics
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The video thumbnail image shows a graphic of the Earth with two tidal bulges. Blue arrows point to the bulges against a white background.
How does the Moon affect the tides?The Earth may be less spherical and more football-shaped than you thought.
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spring tide, tide of maximal range, near the time of new and full moon when the Sun and Moon are in syzygy—i.e., aligned with the Earth. Conjunction is the time during new moon when the Sun and Moon lie on the same side of the Earth. The other syzygy condition, opposition, occurs during full moon when the Sun and Moon are positioned on opposite sides of the Earth. In either case of syzygy, the tide-producing forces of the Sun and the Moon reinforce each other, and the tidal amplitudes on Earth are at their greatest. See tide.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Meg Matthias.