Exploring Moon Phases: Why does the shape of the Moon appear to change throughout the month? Write in CER Format

Question

Claim: Make a statement answering the question.
Evidence: Use specific observations from the simulator activity or your data table to support your claim.
Reasoning: Explain why your evidence supports your claim by describing the relationship between the positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. ( 5 pts)

Answer 1

Claim: The shape of the Moon appears to change throughout the month due to its position relative to the Earth and the Sun, which affects how much of its illuminated surface is visible from Earth.

Evidence: Observations from the simulator activity show distinct phases of the Moon that occur in a predictable cycle. For example, during the new moon phase, the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, resulting in no visible illumination from Earth. As the Moon moves in its orbit, the first quarter phase shows half of the Moon illuminated, while the full moon phase displays the entire surface facing Earth brightly lit. Data from the activity confirmed that these phases transition smoothly over time, occurring approximately every 29.5 days.

Reasoning: The changes in the Moon's appearance can be understood by examining the positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. The Moon does not produce its own light; instead, it reflects sunlight. When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun (new moon), the sunlit side is facing away from us, making the Moon invisible. As the Moon orbits Earth, different portions of its sunlit surface become visible, leading to phases such as waxing crescent, first quarter, and full moon. This cyclical relationship causes the perceived changes in the Moon's shape throughout the month. The positioning of these three celestial bodies directly affects how we see the illuminated portion of the Moon, corroborating our claim about the changing shape of the Moon over time.

Answer 2

use ten yr old words

Answer 3

Claim: The shape of the Moon looks different every night because of where it is compared to the Earth and the Sun.

Evidence: When I used the simulator, I saw how the Moon goes through different phases. For example, during the new moon, I couldn’t see the Moon at all because it was between the Earth and the Sun. Then, as it moved, I saw it as a crescent, then half of it was lit up during the first quarter, and finally, it was fully lit during the full moon. This happens in a cycle that takes about 29.5 days.

Reasoning: The reason the Moon looks different is because it doesn’t make its own light; it reflects light from the Sun. When the Moon is between the Earth and the Sun, the side that we can see doesn’t get any sunlight, so we can't see it. As the Moon keeps moving around the Earth, more and more of the lit-up side becomes visible, showing us different shapes like crescents and halves. This is why we see the Moon change shape throughout the month; it all depends on how the Earth, Moon, and Sun are lined up in space.