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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 1922439" data-attributes="member: 177">I should note that &quot;tidal friction&quot; is not friction between the ocean and the crust.&nbsp; Remember that the entire crust of the Earth is rather like the skin or an apple - compared to the mass of the planet as a whole, the oceans are mostly negligible.While the ocean tides are the things most obvious to us humans on a daily basis, the tidal action of the moon does act on the whole of planet Earth, deforming it somewhat.&nbsp; If you deform the planet, some of the bits inside it rub together, and that's the major tidal friction.Now, here we get to something important - that intrenal friction may be required for life.&nbsp; There are only two things that keep the planet's core molten in the long-term: Tidal friction and decay of radioactive isotopes.&nbsp; If you don't have a molten core, your planet is tectonically dead - no vulcanism, no plate tectonics.&nbsp; If it's tectonically dead, you don't get new landmass built.&nbsp; You don't get replenishment of the atmosphere and recycling of carbon.&nbsp; Eventually, you get a planet that looks a lot like Mars today - no liquid water, thin unsupportive atmosphere.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 1922439, member: 177"] I should note that "tidal friction" is not friction between the ocean and the crust. Remember that the entire crust of the Earth is rather like the skin or an apple - compared to the mass of the planet as a whole, the oceans are mostly negligible. While the ocean tides are the things most obvious to us humans on a daily basis, the tidal action of the moon does act on the whole of planet Earth, deforming it somewhat. If you deform the planet, some of the bits inside it rub together, and that's the major tidal friction. Now, here we get to something important - that intrenal friction may be required for life. There are only two things that keep the planet's core molten in the long-term: Tidal friction and decay of radioactive isotopes. If you don't have a molten core, your planet is tectonically dead - no vulcanism, no plate tectonics. If it's tectonically dead, you don't get new landmass built. You don't get replenishment of the atmosphere and recycling of carbon. Eventually, you get a planet that looks a lot like Mars today - no liquid water, thin unsupportive atmosphere. [/QUOTE]

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