Question 1 Compare neap and spring tides. Give two comparisons in your answer. Question 2 Which of the following best describes what causes the tides? The gravity of the moon and sun pushes and pulls the oceans. The gravity of the moon and the sun pulls the oceans towards themselves. The moon's gravity pulls on the oceans. The sun's gravity pushes on the oceans.

Spring tides:

New Moon and Full Moon

The sun, Earth, and Moon are all roughly in the same line.

The gravitational effects of the sun and moon work in the same direction,

bringing higher high tides and lower low tides.

Neap tides:

First Quarter and Third Quarter Moon

(a week after New Moon and a week after Full Moon)

The sun, Earth, and Moon form a right angle.

The gravitational effects of the sun and moon work across each other, bringing

high tides that aren't quite as high, and low tides that aren't quite as low.

There are a pair of gravitational forces trying to pull the Earth and Sun together,

and another pair of gravitational forces trying to pull the Earth and Moon together.

So the Earth's oceans are pulled toward both the Sun and the Moon.