🔍 Key Concepts

• Spring tides vs. neap tides and how they relate to Moon phases • Meaning of priming (or priming/lagging) of the tides in tidal theory • Positions of the Earth–Moon–Sun system during different lunar phases

💭 Think About

• Think about whether priming refers to tides becoming stronger, weaker, or shifted in time relative to the Moon’s position • Ask yourself during which part of the lunar cycle the tidal range is increasing from neap toward spring, or decreasing from spring toward neap • Match each answer choice to a specific part of the lunar cycle and visualize the Earth–Moon–Sun alignment

✅ Before You Answer

• Be clear on which lunar phases correspond to the Moon being at right angles to the Sun vs. in line with the Sun • Verify which conditions produce maximum tidal ranges (spring tides) and which produce minimum ranges (neap tides) • Check if priming is associated with the transition periods between spring and neap tides, rather than the exact times of maximum or minimum range