Question

When the phase of the Moon is full,

A. The Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth.
B. The Moon and Sun are on the same side of Earth.
C. The Moon is closer to Earth than normal.
D. The Moon and Earth are on opposite sides of the Sun.
E. The Moon is further from Earth than normal.

Answer 1

The Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth when the Moon is full. This occurs because the side of the Moon facing Earth is fully illuminated by the Sun, making the Moon's disc appear completely bright from our perspective.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the phase of the Moon is full, the correct answer is that A. The Moon and Sun are on opposite sides of Earth. During a full moon, the Moon appears fully illuminated from our perspective because the side facing Earth receives complete sunlight. The full moon occurs because as the Moon orbits Earth, there comes a point where Earth is exactly between the Sun and the Moon. At this point, we see the side of the Moon that is fully lit by the Sun, which leads to the full moon phase. This also means that the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise. The notion that the Moon is closer or further from Earth during this phase is not correct; the Moon's distance from Earth does not significantly change in a manner that affects its phases.