Sun-Earth-Moon Relationships:  Moon Phases

 

Name                                                                                                   Date                                                  

Observation: What have you observed about the appearance of the moon over a week? A month?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Speculation:  What causes the observed change in the appearance of the moon?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

The drawing on the left shows the positions of the sun, earth, and moon during various phases of the moon.  Shade the circle on the right to show what you think the observer on earth would see. (Sun, earth, and moon are not drawn to scale.)

 


Sun-earth-moon at a 0o angle                                                What the observer on earth sees

      

Sun-earth-moon at a 90o angle                                              What the observer on earth sees



Sun-earth-moon at a 180o angle                                            What the observer on earth sees

 

Sun-earth-moon at a 270o angle                                            What the observer on earth sees


 

 

Analysis:  You will use a lamp to simulate the sun, a styrofoam ball on the dowel to simulate the moon, and your head to simulate the earth.  Place the lamp in the center of a darkened room.  Hold the styrofoam ball in front of your face.  Slowly turn 90o to your left.  Continue turning stopping at 180o and 270o until you have completed a 360o orbit of the styrofoam ball around your head.  Shade the drawings to show the illumination of the moon as it would be seen from earth. (Sun, earth, and moon are not drawn to scale.)

 

Write a statement that explains the cause of moon phases.

 

Sun-Earth-Moon Relationships:  Moon Phases

 

Name                                                                                                   Date                                                  

 

Evaluation

Someone has scrambled the pictures of the moon phases. Read the descriptions of moon phases.  Match each phase of the moon pictured below to the correct description.  Draw the phase in the box next to the description.

 

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

 

 

New Moon - The moon's unilluminated side is facing the earth. The moon is not visible (except during a solar eclipse). 

 

Waxing Crescent - The moon appears to be partly but less than one-half illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the moon's disk that is illuminated is increasing.

 

First Quarter - One-half of the moon appears to be illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the moon's disk that is illuminated is increasing.

 

Waxing Gibbous - The moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the moon's disk that is illuminated is increasing. 

 

Full Moon - The moon's illuminated side is facing the earth. The moon appears to be completely illuminated by direct sunlight. 

 

Waning Gibbous - The moon appears to be more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the moon's disk that is illuminated is decreasing.

 

Last Quarter - One-half of the moon appears to be illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the moon's disk that is illuminated is decreasing. 

 

Waning Crescent - The moon appears to be partly but less than one-half illuminated by direct sunlight. The fraction of the moon's disk that is illuminated is decreasing. 

 

Moon phase jpg's and information from http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/vphase.html, United States Naval Observatory.


Moon Phase and Tide Project

Due Date:                                                                                               

 

The Research Question:     Why does the high-tide level of the Passaic River change daily?

 

Step 1.  Observation 

A. Moon Phases

Each night or morning if necessary, record the appearance of the moon by sketching it onto the moon diary for April 2002.  If the sky is overcast, write that on the diary. 

B. High-Tide Data

Record the highest tide level for each day.  High-tide data can be found in the newspaper, or find the high-tide data at the Belleville Bridge by using Internet links.

Step 2.  Analyzing the Data

A. High-Tide Data

Create a line graph of high-tide versus time.  The y-axis should be labeled in feet.  The x-axis should be labeled by day of the month.  Since time is continuous, the tide should be shown as a line graph. 

B. Moon Phases

Over each peak or trough on the line graph, draw the phase of the moon for that day.

Step 3. The Explanation

Why does the high-tide level of the Passaic River change daily?  Use your observations to answer this question.  Draw a picture showing the location of the moon relative to the earth and sun for each phase.  (Hint:  The gravity of the situation will be apparent in your sketch.)  See the section Final Report for what must be included.

 

Your Final Report

1.     Title - Why Does the High-Tide Level of the Passaic River Change Each Day?

2.     Written Report

Paragraph 1 - Background information about the tidal characteristics of the Passaic River and it's geographic location.
Paragraph 2 - Describe what you observed about the changing phases of the moon.  Reference the moon diary.
Paragraph 3 - Describe what you observed about the changing high-tide levels during the month and their connection to the moon phase.  Reference your line graph.
Paragraph 4 - Explain why the high-tide level changes during the month.  Reference your diagram of the earth-moon-sun relationships throughout the month of April.  Explain why the tide is highest under one particular phase of the moon.

3.     Organization

The report should be in the following order:

A.      Cover page with the project title, your name, and your section number filled in. 
B.      Written report. 
C.      Moon Diary for April 2002
D.      Graph of High-Tide versus Time
E.      Diagram of earth-sun-moon relationships during the month