| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| What is a moon phase? | The lit part of the moon that is visible from Earth. |
| lunar eclipse | When the Earth comes directly between the sun and the FULL moon. ( Sun > Earth > FULL Moon) |
| solar eclipse | When the NEW moon comes directly between the sun and the Earth. (Sun > NEW moon > Earth) |
| What you see when the moon is in the full moon phase | The moon appears fully lit by the sun's reflected light. |
| What is the order of the Earth, sun, and moon during a solar eclipse? | Sun > NEW moon > Earth |
| What you see when the moon is in the new moon phase | You aren't able to see the moon |
| What is the order of the Earth, sun, and moon during a lunar eclipse? | Sun > Earth > FULL moon |
| What is happening during a lunar eclipse? | Earth comes between the sun and the moon. Earth's shadow falls on the moon. |
| What is happening during a solar eclipse? | The new moon comes directly between the sun and Earth blocking our view of the sun. |
| Why does the moon have light? | It's the sun's reflection on the moon. |
| This word means when the moon phase is greater than half. | Gibbous |
| This means to “grow smaller” | waning |
| This word means when the moon phase is less than half. | crescent |
| This means “to grow larger” | waxing |
| How does the moon affect high tides? | The moon's gravitational pull causes the tides. |
| How many high tides are there each day? | 2 high tides |
| During what moon phases do we experience the highest of the high tides? What is the reason for this? | During the full or new moon because the sun and moon act together to create a larger tide. |
| During what moon phases do we experience the lowest of the low tides? What is the reason for this? | During quarter moons when the sun, moon, and Earth are at right angles to each other |
| Neap tide (low tide) | When the sun, moon, and Earth form a right angle during the 1st and 3rd quarter moons. |
| Spring tide (high tide) | When the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned during a full or new moon. |
| tide | The rise and fall of the Earth's oceans caused by the moon's gravitational pull. |
| gravity | A force where one object pulls on another object. |
| gravitational pull | The force of gravity that pulls objects toward one another. |
