Final answer:
The correct order of the lunar phases starting with the New Moon is A: New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter Moon, Waxing Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous Moon, Third Quarter Moon, Waning Crescent Moon.
Step-by-step explanation:
To arrange the lunar phases in the correct order, starting with the new moon, the sequence is as follows: New Moon, Waxing Crescent Moon, First Quarter Moon, Waxing Gibbous Moon, Full Moon, Waning Gibbous Moon, Third Quarter Moon, and Waning Crescent Moon.
This corresponds to choice A in the student's options. The lunar cycle begins with the new moon, in which the Moon is in between Earth and the Sun and the side facing Earth is not illuminated. As the Moon orbits the Earth, we get to see more of the illuminated half of the Moon, leading to the Waxing Crescent and reaching the First Quarter Moon, where half of the Moon’s illuminated side is visible from Earth.
Following this, the Moon's illumination continues to increase until the Full Moon, where the entire illuminated side is visible. After reaching the full phase, the Moon starts to wane, with decreasing illumination visible from Earth, transitioning through the Waning Gibbous phase to the Third Quarter Moon, after which the illumination continues to decrease until we reach the Waning Crescent phase, which finally returns to the New Moon.