Science Section 1.3 Answers

Lunar Eclipse

A lunar eclipse is when the Earth blocks the sun from hitting the moon. The moon is normally illuminated by the sun's rays, so without them, the moon is dark and dull looking here on Earth.

Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse is when the moon passes between the sun and Earth directly. When this happens, the sun is blocked from hitting Earth, causing darkness for the duration of the solar eclipse.

Tide

A tide is the rise and fall of the level of water in the ocean. Tides are caused by the moon's gravity pulling itself and the Earth and its water toward one another.

Eclipse

An eclipse occurs when the moon's shadow hits Earth of Earth's shadow hits the moon. There are two major types of eclipses, the lunar and solar eclipses. These two eclipses can also occur as a total or partial eclipse.

What are solar and lunar eclipses?

Eclipses occur when the moon's shadow hits Earth or Earth's shadow hits the moon. A solar eclipse is when the moon passes directly between the sun and the Earth, blocking the sun's rays from hitting Earth. This leaves Earth in darkness for the duration of the solar eclipse. The lunar eclipse is when the Earth blocks the sun from hitting the moon, causing the moon to barely be visible if at all because the sun's rays are what illuminate the moon. A Total Solar Eclipse is when the sky is completely dark during mid day due to the umbra blocking the sun from the moon. A partial solar eclipse is when the penumbra of the moon allows for part of the sun to be visible to Earth. A total lunar eclipse is when the moon is in Earth's umbra. A partial lunar eclipse is when Earth and sun are not completely in line with each other.

Phases

Phases are the parts of the moon we see on Earth in a cycle. The phase of the moon we see on Earth depends on how much of the sunlit side of the moon is facing us on Earth.

Neap Tide

The neap tide occurs when the line between the earth and the sun angles toward the line between the earth and the moon. The neap tide occurs during the first and third quarter moon phases. The sun's pull is angled toward the moon's pull, and the neap tide occurs.

Penumbra

The penumbra is the largest part of the shadow. People in the area of the penumbra experience a partial eclipse. It is super bright, and you are not to look at the sun, as it is brighter than it usually is.

What causes the phases of the moon?

The phases of the moon are caused by the relative changes of the position of the moon, earth and sun. The same side of the moon always faces earth.

Spring Tide

The spring tide is when the sun, moon, and earth are in line with each other. The combined forces from them create a tide with the greatest difference between the low and high tides.

Umbra

The umbra is the very darkest part of the moon which is cone shaped. Light is completely blocked from the moon at any point on the umbra. The moon's umbra is so long that the point of it can extend all the way to the surface of Earth, causing people in the area to experience a total solar eclipse.

What causes tides?

Tides are caused due to the differences in how much the moon's gravity pulls on different parts of the Earth. The force of gravity pulls the moon and Earth and its water toward each other. There are high tides and low tides due to the tilt of the moon and Earth.