How to use the tidal force calculator
Estimate the tidal acceleration across a body from a nearby mass. Enter perturbing mass, distance, body radius in the fields above; the tidal acceleration is computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Formula
Variables
- M — Perturbing mass (kg)
- d — Distance (km)
- R — Body radius (km)
Worked example
With perturbing mass = 7.348e22 kg, distance = 384400 km, body radius = 6371 km, the calculator gives tidal acceleration ≈ 1.1002 × 10⁻⁶ m/s².
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for the tidal force calculation?
Tidal acceleration (m/s²) = 2 × GCONST × M × (R × 1000) / (d × 1000)^3. Here M is perturbing mass (kg), d is distance (km), R is body radius (km).
What inputs do I need for the tidal force calculator?
You need perturbing mass in kg, distance in km, body radius in km. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use this calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.