The phases of the Moon are caused by:

Question

A.
The rotation of the Earth around the Sun

B.
The Earth's shadow being cast upon the surface of the moon by the sun

C.
The rotation of the Moon around the Earth

D.
The Moon’s rotation on its axis

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

C. The rotation of the Moon around the Earth

The phases of the Moon are caused by the changing perspective of the sunlight illuminating the Moon as it orbits around the Earth. As the Moon moves in its orbit, different portions of its surface are illuminated by the Sun, leading to the various phases we observe (new moon, crescent, first quarter, gibbous, full moon, etc.).