Abstract

Present explanations on mechanism of tides are based either on centrifugal action or on gravitational attraction. Centrifugal force (due to motion of a body in circular path), used in analytical solutions, is an imaginary effort. Explanations, based on actions by an imaginary effort, cannot be factually correct. One of the fundamental assumptions used to derive the equation for gravitational attraction is that whole matter content (mass) of each body is concentrated at its center. This makes it illogical to assume that different parts of same body have different magnitudes of gravitational attraction towards another body. Therefore, explanations on tides, based on differences in gravitational attractions on different parts of bodies, are perversions of present theory on gravitational attraction. Apparent orbital motion of a body about epicenter of a system is also used in some explanations. In nature, no free body can orbit around another moving body [3] in geometrically closed path. Orbital path of earth about the sun (or that of moon about earth) is not circular or elliptical around a central body but it zigzags about sun's (earth's) median path in space. Hence, an explanation based on revolution of earth around an epicenter is pure imagination. According to current rules of dynamics, more than one external linear effort on a rigid body can produce only one resultant linear motion. Yet, earth experiences distinctly separate sets of tides from central forces towards moon and sun. Only logical reason for lunar tides to be greater than solar tides is that the central force between earth and moon is greater than that between earth and sun. This cannot be substantiated by current gravitational laws.

This article attempts to give a simple and logical explanation to tidal mechanism, based on a radically different dynamics, put forward in ?Hypothesis on MATTER' [1]. Tides are caused by (accelerating) actions of external efforts on a linearly moving spinning-body. Each external effort alters shape of the spinning body, separately, to produce its own set of tides. Change in the shape of a spinning body, rather than displacement of its parts, cause tides. Absolute linear motion of the spinning body shifts zenith points of tides from local meridians facing the sun (or moon) and on opposite side. Orbital motion of a spinning body enhances deflection of tides from local meridian. Displacement of ocean water in the direction of moving tide is superficial and it cannot produce tidal drag on earth's solid core body.