What term refers to the lit portion of the Moon that can be seen from Earth?

What term refers to the lit portion of the Moon that can be seen from Earth?

• A. Shadow
• B. Eclipse
• C. Phase
• D. Orbit

Answer: (C)

The lit portion of the Moon that we see from Earth is described by its phase. This term captures how much of the Sunlit side of the Moon is visible to us, which changes as the Moon orbits Earth and the Sun shines on different fractions of its surface. Shadow refers to the dark part or to the shadows cast during eclipses, which are events, not the visible lit fraction. An eclipse is a specific alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth. Orbit is simply the path the Moon follows around Earth. So the visible lit portion over time is called the phase.

The lit portion of the Moon that we see from Earth is described by its phase. This term captures how much of the Sunlit side of the Moon is visible to us, which changes as the Moon orbits Earth and the Sun shines on different fractions of its surface. Shadow refers to the dark part or to the shadows cast during eclipses, which are events, not the visible lit fraction. An eclipse is a specific alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth. Orbit is simply the path the Moon follows around Earth. So the visible lit portion over time is called the phase.