Which of the following best describes why we see the moon at different phases?(1 point)
Responses
We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
We are only seeing portions of the moon when its orbit is closest to the Earth.
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 reflecting Earth's atmosphere.
We are only seeing portions of the moon that is blocking sunlight.
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."
Explanation:
The reason we see the moon at different phases is because the moon orbits around the Earth, and as it does so, the amount of sunlight that strikes the moon changes. When the moon is between the Earth and the Sun, it is in a "new moon" phase and we cannot see it because the side facing us is not receiving any direct sunlight. As the moon progresses in its orbit, we start seeing a small sliver of the moon, known as a waxing crescent. This happens because a small portion of the moon's surface starts reflecting sunlight toward Earth.
As the moon continues its orbit, the illuminated portion gradually becomes larger until it reaches a "full moon" phase. This is when the entire side facing Earth is fully illuminated by the Sun, making the entire moon visible to us. After the full moon, the illuminated portion starts to decrease, transitioning through a waning gibbous, third quarter, waning crescent, and finally returning to a new moon phase.
Therefore, we see different phases of the moon because we are only seeing portions of it that are reflecting sunlight, based on its position in its orbit around the Earth.