Statement I : Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the

Statement I :
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth.
Statement II :
The Earth rotates from west to east.

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This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-1 – 2018
Statement I is true. Tides are indeed caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun on Earth’s oceans, combined with the centrifugal force resulting from the Earth-Moon system’s orbit and the Earth’s rotation. Statement II is also true. The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east. However, while Earth’s rotation is an essential component of the tidal mechanism (as it brings different parts of the globe under the influence of the tidal bulges and causes the cyclical rise and fall), the *direction* of rotation (west to east) does not specifically explain *why* the gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun cause bulges or how the combination of forces results in tides. It explains *how* the tidal phenomenon moves across the Earth, but not the fundamental cause described in Statement I. Therefore, Statement II is not the correct explanation for Statement I.
Tides are a result of differential gravitational forces acting on the Earth and the inertia of the water. The rotation of the Earth causes locations to pass through the tidal bulges.
The Moon’s gravitational pull is the primary driver of tides due to its closer proximity. The Sun also influences tides, leading to spring tides (when Moon, Sun, Earth align) and neap tides (when Moon, Sun, Earth are at a right angle). Earth’s rotation relative to the tidal bulges creates the cyclical pattern of high and low tides experienced at a specific location.
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