The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth: about 3.8–4 centimeters, or 1.5 inches, per year. The Moon's gravity raises ocean tides, and moving water rubbing across the seafloor creates friction that gradually slows Earth's rotation. That lost rotational energy goes into the Moon's orbit, nudging the Moon outward. 12
OpenStax estimates that Earth's day lengthens by about 0.002 seconds per century. The effect is far too small to notice day to day, but the same tidal exchange has been reshaping the Earth–Moon system for billions of years.
References
- 1Tidal Locking
science.nasa.gov
- 24.7: Ocean Tides and the Moon
phys.libretexts.org


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