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 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 blocking sunlight.
We are only seeing portions of the moon that is blocking sunlight.
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 reflecting 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 option is: We are only seeing portions of the moon that is reflecting sunlight.
To understand why we see the moon at different phases, it is important to grasp the concept of the moon's position relative to the sun and the Earth. The moon does not emit its own light; instead, it reflects sunlight.
As the moon orbits around the Earth, the positioning of the moon, Earth, and sun creates different lighting conditions, which determine the moon's appearance. The varying phases of the moon, such as full moon, half moon, crescent moon, and new moon, are a result of these changing lighting conditions.
When the moon is positioned between the Earth and the sun, we see the moon in its full moon phase, where the illuminated side of the moon faces the Earth. As the moon continues its orbit, we view it from different angles, causing the illuminated portion to gradually decrease, leading to phases such as half moon and crescent moon. Eventually, the moon reaches a point where the illuminated side faces away from the Earth, resulting in the new moon phase, which appears completely dark.
So, to summarize, the changing position of the moon as it orbits the Earth produces different phases, and the phases are determined by the varying amounts of sunlight being reflected by the moon. Therefore, we see different portions of the moon that are reflecting sunlight, leading to the various moon phases.