Quote:
Originally Posted by sketchers356
Why did you quote a source that used less precision than me?
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Although your figure of 46% is correct in terms of raw gravitational energy, there is the other factor of the two objects moving about the common center of gravity, the barycenter. The earth-moon barycenter is about 1000 miles below the suface of the earth. The earth-sun barycenter is inside the sun.
Also, the difference in distance between the moon or sun and one side of earth or the other plays a roll in tides. This difference is significant with the earth-moon system, insignificant with the earth-sun system. These factors together all combine to control the tides, so the 2.5 figure is more precise.