Claim: The shape of the Moon appears to change throughout the month due to the varying angles at which sunlight illuminates its surface as the Moon orbits the Earth.
Evidence: In the simulator activity, I observed that during the new moon phase, the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, resulting in the side of the Moon facing Earth being completely dark. As the days progress to the first quarter, the right half of the Moon becomes illuminated, which I noted was due to the Sun's light reaching the Moon at a different angle. By the time of the full moon, the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun, allowing the entire surface of the Moon facing Earth to be lit, showing its full bright disc.
Reasoning: This evidence supports my claim as it demonstrates the relationship between the positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. As the Moon revolves around the Earth, the relative positions of these three celestial bodies change continuously. The changing positions determine how much sunlight hits the Moon and reflects back to our eyes. The cycle from new moon to full moon and back again illustrates this geometrical relationship, resulting in the observable phases of the Moon. Therefore, the apparent shape of the Moon changes because different portions of its surface are illuminated by the Sun at different times during its orbit.
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