Question

Explain why tides happen 50 minutes later each day

Answer 1

The tides occur 50 minutes later each day to allow the Earth to catch up to the moon. 24 hours and 50 minutes is the time required for the moon to return to the same spot above the Earth because the Earth is spinning on it's axis as the moon orbits the sun.

Answer 2

With each passing day, the high tides occur about an hour later. The moon rises about an hour later each day, too (actually, 54 minutes later). Since the moon pulls up the tides, these two delays are connected. As the earth rotates through one day, the moon moves in its orbit.