| 释义 |
tidal force
tidal forcen. A differential gravitational force acting along an extended body as a result of the varying distance from a source of gravity to the different parts of the body, such as the force of the moon on the earth's oceans closest to and farthest from the moon.tidal force
tidal force A force arising in a system of one or more bodies as a result of differential gravitation: different parts of the system experience different accelerations. This can result in the production of tides and in general terms elongates a body in the direction of a nearby massive body, producing a tidal bulge. The force can alter a body's rotation rate until it is equal to the revolution period: this is true of most natural satellites of the planets, including the Moon, and is the case in some close binary stars, e.g. RS Canum Venaticorum stars. Tidal forces can lead to tidal heating of the interior of a body, and in extreme cases can lead to the disruption of a body. |