Phases of the Moon Pre/Post-test
1. Which gives the correct order of the moon’s phases?
a. full->first quarter->new->third quarter
b. first quarter->new->full->third quarter
c. new->first quarter->full->third quarter
d. first quarter->third quarter->full->new
2. How much of the moon is always reflecting light from the sun?
a. Half of the moon is reflecting sunlight only during the new moon phase.
b. Half of the moon is reflecting sunlight only during the full moon phase.
c. The entire moon is reflecting sunlight at all times.
d. Half of the moon is reflecting sunlight at all times.
3. Which pattern of changes takes about a month to complete?
a. day and night
b. the seasons
c. the moon’s phases
d. occurrence of eclipses
4. David looks into the sky and sees a new moon. Which phase of the moon
will he see in about two weeks?
a. crescent moon
b. first quarter moon
c. full moon
d. new moon
5. As the moon revolves around Earth, the moon
a. always keeps the same side facing Earth
b. does not rotate on its axis
c. turns its entire surface toward Earth
d. does not reflect light
Use the drawing to answer question 6.
6. Which describes the moon phase in the drawing?
a. crescent moon
b. new moon
c. full moon
d. first quarter moon
Use the drawing below to help answer questions 7, 8, and 9. The gray circles show
the Moon at different positions in its orbit around the Earth.
7. At which position in the moon’s orbit can all of the moon’s lighted side be
seen from Earth?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
8. Which position shows the relative positions of Earth, the moon and the sun
during a solar eclipse?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
9. Which position shows the relative positions of Earth, the moon and the sun
during a lunar eclipse?
a. A
b. B
c. C
d. D
10. Which Moon phase causes the highest high tide and lowest low tide?
a. Waxing crescent
b. First quarter
c. Waxing gibbous
d. New moon
Open-Response Question
Phases of the Moon
Jane photographed the Moon for several nights this month. Clouds kept her from
taking pictures a few nights. Her results are below with the oldest picture on the
left. The images are numbered 1 through 4.
1
2
3
4
a. Name and identify by number three of the Moon shapes Jane photographed.
b. How many nights separate the first picture on the left with the last picture
on the right. Explain your answer.
c. What phase(s) will Jane photograph the next 3 days after the last picture on
the right? Explain your answer.
Answers to above.
a. 1 is first quarter, 2 and 3 are waxing gibbous, 4 is full moon
b. 7 nights. Lunar month is about 29.5 days. 14 of that is just over 7
days.
c. Waning gibbous for all. The moon will follow a full moon with a week of
waning gibbous moons till third quarter.