It has always been a mystery to me how the Moon can attract water on the side of the Earth that is farthest away from it. Darwin has solved that part of the tides mystery for me -- I think.
He talks a lot about centrifugal force and centripetal force. If I follow what he is saying then
The Earth and Moon are at equilibrium at each of their centers. The Earth is 60 Earth radii from the center of the Moon so centrifugal and centripetal force ate at equilibrium there. But since the surface of the Earth facing towards the Moon is closer to the Moon by one Earth radii then the pull of the Moon’s gravity is greater there than it is at the center of the Earth and causes a bulge in the water or a high tide. On the other side surface is one Earth radii farther from the Moon than it is at the center so the attraction of the Moon is less and that allows centrifugal force to build up a bulge of water on that side of the Earth as well.Then again, I may not understand where e is going at all.
