Final answer:
The moon is not typically directly between the sun and Earth; this alignment is a special case during a solar eclipse. The moon's orbit is inclined and it is, on average, about 30 Earth diameters away from our planet. Normally, the Earth's shadow misses the moon, allowing for the regular occurrence of a full moon without eclipse conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the moon is almost directly between the sun and Earth is false. This scenario describes a solar eclipse, which is a rare event. Normally, the moon's path is inclined about 5 degrees to the ecliptic, thus Earth's shadow typically misses the moon, allowing us to regularly observe a full moon without the Earth disrupting its illumination. The moon's actual distance from Earth averages around 30 Earth diameters. Due to this distance and the orbital inclination, it's not common for the moon to be directly between the sun and Earth.
During a solar eclipse, however, the phenomenon where the moon does come between the sun and Earth occurs and can cause the moon to appear to cover the sun, given they have nearly the same angular size in the sky of about 1/2°. The reason behind this apparent similarity in size is because the sun is roughly 400 times wider than the moon, but also 400 times further away from us. It is the precise alignment during a solar eclipse when the moon can block the sun's light, leading to the temporary darkness experienced during totality.
An understanding of the moon's orbit, distance from Earth, and the angular sizes of the sun and moon are crucial in explaining why typically, during the full moon phase, we do not see the earth's shadow cast upon it. It is only during a lunar eclipse that the Earth's shadow falls on the moon.