Origin of Torque:

Time varying tidal bulge and its 3^o phase lag with respect to the earth-moon or earth-sun line.  The phase lag is due to anelastic dissipation in the strain response of the earth to the stresses induced by the gravitational force of the moon and sun.

Effects:

1. Slow down in earth's rotation
2. Recession of the moon (increase in earth-moon distance).
3. The heating of the earth and the moon by  tidal friction is negligible. Tidal friction heat, however, can be an important heat source in some of the moons of the gas giants, sufficient to produce volcanism.

Permanent bulge of rotating earth, tilted 23.5 ^o with respect   the ecliptic plane (plane of orbit about sun) (click here for a movie)

Effects:

1. 26,000 year precession of the equinoxes on earth.  Seasons change with time, shifting start of summer to December in 1/2 period of precession, or 13,500 years.
2.  The rotational axis is continuously changing, resulting in the north rotational pole gradually shifting its orientation away from the current North Star in the northern hemisphere.  This motion was noticed by ancient civilizations.
3.  The changes in the timing of seasons with respect to the aphelion and perihelion of the earth's orbit affects the budget of solar radiation received by the earth,  affects long-term climate cycles, including onsets and durations of ice-ages.