Understanding Moon Phase

During the phases of the Moon, the Moon appears to change shape.  This change in appearance is due to the Moon...

• physically changing size and shape.
• moving closer and then farther away from Earth.
• reflecting a different amount of light due to alignment with Earth and the Sun.
• having craters on its surface.

What part of the moon do we see from Earth?

• all of it
• the same side
• none of it
• only one quarter

The moon seems to change shape from day to day in a cycle that lasts about a month as it goes through _.

• revolutions
• phases
• rotations
• eclipses

As the moon's shape appears to get smaller, we say that the moon is _.

• swelling
• waxing
• waning
• disappearing

About how long does it take the moon to make one complete cycle around the earth?

• 65 days
• 8 days
• 365 days
• 28 days

Which moon phase is when you can't see the moon at all?

• Waning crescent
• Full moon
• Waxing gibbous
• New moon

What causes the phase of the Moon to change each night?

• The Moon changes its acutal shape throughout the course of the month.
• The alignment between the Earth, Moon, and Sun determines the amount of light reflected by the Moon.
• The season of the year determines the phase of the Moon.
• The closer the Moon is to Earth, the more light the Moon reflects.

Phases of the moon in which the moon appears to be getting larger are referred to as _.

• waxing
• waning
• new
• eclipse

The cycle of the moon lasts about a _.

• day
• year
• week
• month

Which of the following words describe the phases of the moon?

• none, quarter, half, three quarters, full
• new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, full
• dark, light, half, quarter, blue
• first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter