Final answer:
The Sun, Earth, and Moon form either a 0° or 180° angle during a spring tide when they are aligned, resulting in the highest tides due to the combined gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun.
Step-by-step explanation:
The angle that the Sun, Earth, and Moon form during a spring tide is 0° or 180°. During a spring tide, the gravitational forces of the Moon and the Sun work together to generate the Earth's highest tides. This alignment occurs during the new moon and full moon phases when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line.
Spring tides result in the highest high tides and the lowest low tides, due to the combined gravitational forces. The term 'spring' in spring tide refers to the 'leap' or 'spring up' of the water levels and has nothing to do with the season. Conversely, the smallest tides, known as neap tides, happen when the Sun is at a 90° angle to the Earth-Moon alignment, such as during the first and last quarters of the moon.