Question

Summary Now that you have completed the experiment, summarize your findings 1. Give a concise explanation of the scientific reason for the various phases of the moon. In your explanation, mention the evidence that you gathered through the experiment. Do your results confirm your preliminary prediction? 2. What is a lunar eclipse? Why don't we see a lunar eclipse every month? Developed by Dr. Allyson Sheffield ([email protected]) 4 P

Answer 1

Ans.

Ans. 1

We observe different phases of moon in a month (28 days approx.) because moon revolves around the earth in an orbit and the earth also rotates everyday completing one rotation in approx. 24 hours and it revolves also around the sun. So, when the earth rotates and the moon revolves, various phases are formed that you have already seen in the other answers. The various phases as the moon rotates west to east (or counter clockwise) are as – New moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, waxing crescent and again new moon. Yes the results confirm the assumptions since the movement is approx. at 45 degree angles.

Ans 2.

Lunar eclipse is the phenomenon in which moon completely turns into a dark object as the shadow if the earth falls on it. It means that the earth is in between sun and the moon (syzgy position). In this way, the sunlight coming from the sun is blocked by the earth.

You can not see it happening every month because the orbit of the earth (which is around the sun) is not exactly on the same plane as of the moon i.e. both rotates and revolves on different planes and thus it happens rarely