Published 2006-08-22
Abstract
The tidal force is c secondary effect of the force Of gravity. It arises because the
gravitational field is not constant across o body's diameter. When a body is acted
on by the gravity Of another body, the gravitational acceleration con vary significantly
between the necr side and the far side. This tends to distort shape of the body
without altering its volume,
Suppose that the gravitational field is due to one other body. Linearising Newton's
law Of gravitation around the centre of the reference body yields an approximate
inverse cube Along the axis through the centres Of the two bodies, this takes
the form