Why is there moon phases?

Question

I need this for school tomorrow!

Answer 1

Because the moon orbits the earth and the earth orbits the sun

Answer 2

The sunlight is coming from one direction, lighting up half of the moon.

If the earth is between the sun and the moon, we do see the sunlight being reflected from the moon's surface.

If the moon is between the sun and the earth, we see no sunlight reflected.

If the angle moon-earth-sun is 90 degrees, we see half of the moon reflecting light, and the other half is dark.

And so on.

Edit: with "between" I do not mean blocking light. That would be an eclipse. The moon is usually not exactly between the sun and the earth, it will be slightly above or below the sun.


Edit #2: The dark part of the moon is NOT, I repeat NOT the shadow of the earth. Is is the shadow of the moon itself!!!

Dark room, a torch, representing the sun and a bal in the middle of the room representing the moon. Shine on the ball, and move around, look at the "moon" from different angles but be careful not to block the light from the "sun". You will notice only half of the "moon" is light, the other half is dark, and depending on wher eyou are you see a crescent bal, er, moon.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why is there moon phases?
I need this for school tomorrow!

Answer 4

Take a torchlight and shine it on the wall. move your hand to cover half the beam. that's how you get a cresent moon.

torchlite itself =sun
your hand =earth
the bright spot on the wall = moon

All the 3 objects are always moving, so at certain times, the earth will block half the light to the moon. That's when you see a half moon phase. So the earth doesn't block the light to the moon, you'll see a full moon phase.

That's why there are moon phases.

Answer 5

Because the moon orbits around us so the earth casts shadows on the moon when earth blocks sunlight.