Tidal Forces and Gravitational Interactions

Tidal forces are the result of the varying gravitational pull of one object on different parts of another object. For example, the moon's gravity causes the rise and fall of ocean tides on Earth. Tidal forces also affect solid objects and can even rip them apart, as seen near black holes. Gravitational interactions, on the other hand, refer to the forces exerted between two objects due to their masses. These interactions cause orbital motion and the formation of tidal forces. Tidal forces play a significant role on the scale of galaxies, influencing their structure, triggering star formation, and reshaping the cosmic landscape during close encounters.