Which of the following best describes why we see the moon at different phases? (1 point)
• We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
• We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting Earth's
atmosphere.
• 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 blocking sunlight.
• 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.
The correct answer is: We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
To understand why we see different phases of the moon, it is essential to understand the interaction between the moon, Earth, and the sun. The moon orbits around the Earth while the Earth orbits around the sun. The moon does not emit its own light, but it reflects sunlight.
The moon's appearance changes throughout its orbit, causing the different phases. As the moon moves in its orbit, the angle between the sun, moon, and Earth changes, resulting in different amounts of the moon's illuminated surface being visible from Earth.
For example, during a full moon, the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, and the side facing us is fully illuminated by sunlight. In contrast, during a new moon, the moon is between the Earth and the sun, so the side facing us is not illuminated by sunlight.
Therefore, the correct answer is that we see different phases of the moon because we are only seeing portions of the moon that are reflecting sunlight.