Phases of the Moon & Tides

Phases of the Moon & Tides

Year 7 Science

Phases of the Moon

• The Moon is always round, however the different shapes we can see is caused by how much of the Moon is lit by the Sun seen from Earth

• These changes in appearance are called phases of the Moon

• When the Moon is in the sky but we can't see it, its called a New Moon

• When we can see the whole of the Moon its called a Full Moon

• There are 8 phases of the Moon in total

Phases of the Moon

• New Moon

• Waxing Crescent

• First Quarter

• Waxing Gibbous

• Full Moon

• Waning Gibbous

• Third Quarter and Waning Crescent

Waxing & Waning

• Waxing is when the light is on the right side of the Moon

• Waning is when the light is on the left side of the Moon

• It takes 3.5 days for the Moon's phase to change

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Multiple Choice

Which phase of the Moon is this

• Waning Gibbous

• Waxing Gibbous

• Full Moon

• First Quarter

Multiple Choice

Which phase of the Moon is this?

• Waning Crescent

• New Moon

• Waxing Crescent

• Waning Gibbous

Multiple Choice

Which phase of the Moon is this?

• Full Moon

• New Moon

• Waxing Crescent

• Waning Crescent

Multiple Choice

How long would it take the Moon to go from a New Moon to a Full Moon?

• 3.5 days

• 14 days

• 21 days

• 30 days

Tides

• Tides are the rise and fall in ocean levels that happen along the World's sea shores twice a day

• The Sun's gravitational pull also contributes to the tides, but because the Moon is closer it has more of an effect

• Two high tides occur each day, approx. 12 hours 25 min apart

Multiple Choice

How many high tides occur each day?

• 0

• 1

• 2

• 4

High & Low Tides

• The gravitational pull of the Moon as it orbits the Earth causes a bulge in the water at one side of the Earth that is facing the Moon leading to a high tide

• This bulge also occurs on the opposite side of the Earth due to inertia

• Low tides occur in areas without the high tide

Spring & Neap Tides

• When the Sun, the Moon and the Earth are all aligned during a full or new Moon, the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon act together causing very high and very low tides

• These are known as spring tides

• Smaller neap tides occur during the Moon's quarter phases

Multiple Choice

When does a spring tide occur?

• When the Earth, Sun and Moon are aligned and on a quarter Moon

• When the Earth, Sun and Moon are aligned and on a full or new Moon

• When the Earth, Sun and Moon are unaligned and on a full Moon

Multiple Choice

Which has more of an impact on the Earth's tides?

• Sun

• Moon

• Both equally

• Neither

Your Task

Answer questions 1 - 4 on page 95 of your science textbook