which of the following best describes why we see the moon at different phases?
a we are only seeing portions of the moon when its orbit is closets to the Earth
b we are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting Earth's atmosphere
c we are only sleeping portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight
d we are only seeing portions of the moon that is blocking sunlight
C) We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
The correct answer is C: we are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
The different phases of the moon occur due to the changing position of the moon relative to the sun and Earth. As the moon orbits around the Earth, different amounts of sunlight illuminate its surface, creating different phases that we observe from Earth. The illuminated portion of the moon that we see changes as the moon moves through its orbit, resulting in the different phases such as full moon, half moon, crescent, etc.
The correct answer is C: we are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
To understand why we see the moon at different phases, we need to consider the relative positions of the moon, Earth, and the sun. The moon does not emit light of its own, but instead reflects sunlight.
As the moon orbits around the Earth, the sun's light falls on different parts of the moon's surface. When the moon is positioned between the Earth and the sun, we see the side of the moon that is not illuminated by sunlight, and this is known as the "new moon" phase.
As the moon continues its orbit, it starts to move away from the sun in relation to the Earth. This allows us to see a small portion of the moon's illuminated side, resulting in a crescent shape. This phase is called the "waxing crescent."
As the moon moves further along its orbit, more of the illuminated side becomes visible to us, transitioning through phases like "first quarter," "waxing gibbous," until it reaches the "full moon" phase. During the full moon, we can see the entire illuminated side of the moon.
After the full moon, the moon starts to move towards the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. This causes the visible illuminated portion to gradually decrease, resulting in phases like "waning gibbous," "third quarter," and "waning crescent."
Finally, the moon returns to the new moon phase, and the cycle repeats itself. So, the correct explanation is that we see different phases of the moon because we are only seeing portions of the moon that are reflecting sunlight.