Final answer:
The tidal range for neap tide is lower than that for spring tide. This difference is due to the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun, which are aligned during spring tides and at right angles during neap tides.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you calculated the tidal range for neap tide, it would be lower than the tidal range for spring tide. Tidal range is the vertical difference between the high tide and the subsequent low tide, and it varies according to the relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. During a spring tide, which occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are aligned, the gravitational pulls of the Moon and Sun combine to produce the highest high tides and the lowest low tides, leading to a large tidal range. Conversely, during a neap tide, which happens when the Sun and Moon are at right angles relative to Earth, their respective gravitational forces partially cancel each other out, resulting in less extreme high and low tides and thus a smaller tidal range.
The presence of landmasses, ocean floor topography, Earth's rotation, and other complex factors influence the actual magnitude of tides observed at different locations around the globe, making it necessary to have location-specific tide tables. Both spring and neap tides are affected by the elliptical orbits of the Moon around Earth and Earth around the Sun, meaning that gravitational forces, and therefore tidal ranges, can vary depending on the distances between these celestial bodies.