The tidal range at a particular location is the difference in height between high tide and low tide. Tidal studies h...

shunhe on October 2, 2020

Hi @faithwood21,

Thanks for the question! So let’s take a look at what this is telling us. We’re told the definition of tidal range at a given place: the difference in height between high tide and low tide. We also know that tidal studies have shown that these tidal ranges are biggest in the Bay of Fundy, reaching more than 17 meters. In other words, the difference in height between high tide and low tide there can be more than 17 meters. We’re also told that since the only forces involved in inducing the tides are the sun’s and moon’s gravity, the magnitudes of tidal ranges also have to be explained entirely by gravitational forces.

So now we need to find a flaw in the reasoning above. Well, what could that be? Let’s try to think of a possibility before we look at the answer choices. One thing that comes to mind is that we’re told that the only forces that make the tides in the first place are the gravities. But does that mean that those are the only things that effect how big the tides are? No, not necessarily, that seems like a flaw. And taking a look at (B), it sums it up perfectly. The argument fails to consider that the size of a tidal range could be affected by conditions in which the gravity acts.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any other questions that you might have.