What type of tide coincides with a full moon or new moon?

The correct answer is spring tide. Spring tides occur when the gravitational forces of the moon and the sun align, which happens during the full moon and new moon phases. During these times, the alignment causes the highest high tides and the lowest low tides, resulting in a larger tidal range.

The gravitational pull of both the moon and the sun work together to produce these stronger tides, thus leading to more extreme tidal height differences. This phenomenon is not only significant for understanding tidal behavior but also plays a crucial role in various coastal and marine ecosystem dynamics.

In contrast, neap tides occur during the first and third quarters of the moon, when the sun and moon are at right angles relative to Earth, resulting in lower high tides and higher low tides than average. Solar and lunar tides are not standalone types of tides; rather, they refer to the influences of the sun and moon on tides generally, without the specific characteristics tied to the phases of the moon.