explain why the moon goes through phases as seen from earth?

Answer 1

The best way to understand this is to do a little visual experiment. Take a spherical object, like an orange or a tennis ball, and then set up a bright light in a dark room and stand so the light is off to one side of you and the ball is held out in front of your face.

If the angle between yourself and the light source, and yourself and the tennis ball is 90 degrees you'll notice that only the half of the ball facing the light is illuminated, and the half facing away is dark.

If you face near on to the light you'll only see the darkened half of the ball, and if you face away from the light you only see the bright half of the ball.

Note that John's answer above is incorrect, the earth does not block the light from reaching the moon, this only happens in an eclipse, which this experiment can also demonstrate.
If the ball passes between you and the light source and so blocks the light this is similar to a solar eclipse. When the shadow from your head blocks the light from reaching the ball this is like a a lunar eclipse.

You'll also note from this experiment that a lunar eclipse can only happen during a full moon, and a solar eclipse only during a new moon. The reason why every full and new moon is not in an eclipse is because the moon's orbit usually passes above or below the shadow area.

Answer 2

The Moon is a sphere which travels once around the Earth each and every 29 days. because it does so, that's illuminated from various angles by using the solar. At New Moon, the Moon is between the Earth and solar, so as that the aspect of the Moon dealing with in the course of us receives no direct solar, and is only lit by using dim solar pondered from the Earth. because it strikes around the Earth, the aspect we can see gradually turns into better illuminated by using direct solar. After a week, the Moon is ninety° faraway from the solar in the sky and is 1/2 illuminated, what we call First Quarter with the aid of the indisputable fact that's about 1 / 4 of ways around the Earth. a week after this, the Moon is one hundred eighty° faraway from the solar, so as that solar, Earth and Moon type a line. The Moon is totally illuminated by using the solar, so it really is termed finished Moon. The Earth's shadow factors in the course of the Moon at present, yet in many circumstances the Moon passes above or below the shadow and no eclipse takes position. a week later the Moon has moved yet another quarter of ways around the Earth, to the third Quarter position. The solar's mild is now shining on the different 1/2 of the seen face of the Moon. finally, a week later, the Moon is lower back to its New Moon starting up position. in many circumstances it passes above or below the solar, yet each and every now and then it passes proper in the front of the solar, and we get an eclipse of the solar. The Moon's stages are _not_ led to by using the shadow of the Earth falling on the Moon. in reality the shadow of the Earth only falls on the Moon two times a twelve months at the same time as there's a lunar eclipse.

Answer 3

One picture is worth a thousand words. Check out the animated graphics on this website to fully understand why moon phases occur ==>http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/projects/data/MoonPhases/index.html

Answer 4

Phases like quarter moon, half moon, full moon, are made by the amount of light the sun has on the moon as the Earth is in orbit. In other words, if half of the Earth is blocking the sun's light you see a half moon, three quarters of the sun's light blocked makes a quarter moon., etc. A Harvest Moon is caused by the condition of the atmosphere that influences the color of the moon, which is generally a light bronze color. As the night cools and the atmosphere clears, the moon shines a bright white.
Hope this helps

Answer 5

of course the moon is revolving around the Earth

Answer 6

The first answer is wrong. The second is exactly right. Try it.