Amplify Earth Moon Sun Critical Juncture

The diagrams above show Earth and the Moon in different positions, as seen from above (top view). Sunlight is coming from the left, but these diagrams do not show what parts of Earth or the Moon are light or dark.

Could the half of the Moon that faces Earth ever be completely dark in any of these diagrams?

• No, the Moon is always lit by the sun.

• Yes, always in Diagrams 2 and 3, but never in Diagram 1.

• Yes, always in Diagram 2, but never in Diagrams 1 or 3.

• Yes, always in Diagram 2 and sometimes in Diagram 3.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Three students made the diagrams above to show what they think the Moon looks like when it is seen from above (top view). In these diagrams, the sunlight is coming from the left, as shown by the arrows.

Which diagram is accurate and why?

• Diagram A is accurate.

• Diagram B is accurate.

• Diagram C is accurate

• All three diagrams are sometimes accurate

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

A student astronomer went out and took photographs of the Moon that were several days apart. Images that look like her photographs are shown above. The light part of the Moon appeared to get smaller over time.

Why did the light part of the moon appear to get smaller over time?

• Between the photographs, the Moon moved farther away from the sun so less sunlight reached the Moon’s surface.

• Between the photographs, Earth moved so its shadow was blocking more of the Moon so the student astronomer was able to see less of it.

• Between the photographs, the Moon rotated so that less of the light-colored rock on the Moon’s surface faced Earth.

• Between the photographs, the Moon moved so that the student astronomer was able to see less of the half that faces the sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The diagrams show Earth and the Moon in different positions, as seen from above (top view). Sunlight is coming from the left, but these diagrams do not show what parts of Earth or the Moon are light or dark.

Could the half of the Moon that faces Earth ever be completely dark in any of these diagrams?

• No, the Moon is always lit by the sun.

• Yes, always in Diagrams 1 and 2, but never in Diagram 3.

• Yes, always in Diagram 2, but never in Diagrams 1 or 3.

• Yes, always in Diagram 2 and sometimes in Diagram 1.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

From Earth...

• we can only see the half of the moon that is facing us

• we see the moon all the time

• we can only see the half of the moon that is facing away from us

• we never see the moon

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Why do we see different phases of the moon?

• We see different amounts of the illuminated half of the moon because the moon moves to different positions around the Earth.

• We see different phases of the moon due to the colored rocks we see from Earth.

• We see different amounts of the Moon due to how close it is to the sun.

• We don't see different phases of the moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Is there a pattern to the position of the Moon?

• Yes-because the Moon orbits around Earth.

• Yes-because the Moon gets closer or farther away from the sun.

• No-the moon appears in the sky at different times and is unpredictable.

• No-the moon never moves or changes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

If Suki looks for the Moon again in one month, what will he see?

• Suki will see a quarter moon, like Diagram B.

• Suki will see a crescent moon again, like Diagram A.

• Suki could see either a crescent or a quarter moon; it depends on the time of year.

• There’s no way to tell because the Moon’s pattern is always changing.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The diagram above shows Earth and the Moon from above (top view). Why is there a dotted circle drawn in this diagram?

• To show the way that the Moon can move back and forth across Earth’s sky.

• To show the locations of satellites that are in Earth’s atmosphere.

• To show that the Moon is always moving around Earth in a circle.

• To show the locations where the sun’s light can reach the Moon.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Is there ever a time that the moon will be completely dark from Earth's perspective?

• Yes, only during a lunar eclipse.

• Yes, always during a new moon.

• Yes, always during a new moon and sometimes during a full moon when a lunar eclipse is possible.

• No, the moon is always half illuminated by the sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1