Which of the following best describes why we see the moon at different phases? (1 point)
• We are only seeing portions of the moon when its orbit is closest to the Earth.
• We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting Earth's atmosphere.
• We are only seeing portions of the moon that is blocking sunlight.
• We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
29 days
New moon
Perpendicular to Earth and the sun
Waxing crescent occurs during the first quarter, while waning gibbous occurs during the third quarter.
Approximately how many days does it take for the moon to go through a complete cycle of its phases? (1 point)
• 24 hours
• 45 days
• 29 days
• 10 days
The correct answer is: We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
The correct answer is: "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 understand the concept of lunar phases. The moon does not emit its own light, but instead reflects sunlight. As the moon orbits around the Earth, the angle between the sun, Earth, and moon constantly changes. This changing angle causes different portions of the moon to be lit by the sun, resulting in the different phases that we see from Earth.
Let's break down the other options to see why they are not correct:
1. "We are only seeing portions of the moon when its orbit is closest to the Earth."
This statement is incorrect because the moon's distance from Earth does not directly impact the phases we see. The moon's orbit is slightly elliptical, so its distance from Earth does vary slightly, but this does not cause the changing phases.
2. "We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting Earth's atmosphere."
This statement is also incorrect because the moon does not reflect Earth's atmosphere. The moon reflects sunlight, but it does not interact directly with Earth's atmosphere in terms of its phases.
3. "We are only seeing portions of the moon that is blocking sunlight."
This statement is incorrect. The moon does not block sunlight to create lunar phases. Instead, the moon's position relative to the Earth and the sun determines which portions of the moon are illuminated and visible from Earth.
To summarize, the reason we see the moon at different phases is because the changing angle between the sun, Earth, and moon causes different portions of the moon to be illuminated by sunlight and thus visible to us.
Which phase of the moon is seen when the moon is located between Earth and the sun? (1 point)
• full moon
• crescent
• gibbous
• new moon
Where is the moon located in relation to Earth and the sun when it is a first-quarter moon? (1 point)
• perpendicular to Earth and the sun
• between Earth and the sun
• behind Earth and away from the sun
• behind the sun and away from Earth