Here are the answers to the questions on your worksheet:
1. Does the moon give off its own light?
No, the Moon does not make its own light. It acts like a giant mirror in space. It shines because it reflects (bounces) the light from the Sun.
2. Why can we see the moon at night? Give two reasons.
We can see the Moon at night for these two main reasons:
*
Sunlight: The Sun is shining on the side of the Moon facing us, and that light bounces off the Moon's surface toward our eyes.
*
Dark Sky: At night, the sky is dark because our part of Earth is turned away from the Sun. This darkness makes the bright, reflected light of the Moon stand out clearly.
3. We see many stars at night. Are they close to or far from Earth? Give a reason for your answer.
The stars are extremely
far away from Earth.
*
Reason: Even though some stars are actually much bigger and brighter than our Sun, they look like tiny pinpoints of light. If they were close to us, they would look huge and blindingly bright, just like the Sun does during the day.
4. Why can't we see the stars during the day?
We cannot see stars during the day because the
Sun is too bright. When sunlight hits Earth's atmosphere, it scatters everywhere and creates a bright blue sky. This bright background light washes out the faint light coming from the distant stars, making them invisible to our eyes.
5. Look at the following picture. Explain why one half of the Earth is lit and the other half is dark.
The Earth is shaped like a ball (a sphere), and the Sun only shines from one direction. Because the Earth is round, the Sun's light can only hit one side of it at a time.
* The side facing the Sun receives the light rays, so it is daytime there (
Lit).
* The side turned away from the Sun is blocked by the curve of the Earth, so no sunlight reaches it. This creates a shadow, making it nighttime there (
Dark).
Final Answer:
1. No, the Moon reflects sunlight; it does not produce its own light.
2. We see the Moon because sunlight reflects off its surface, and the night sky is dark enough to see that reflection.
3. Stars are very far away. We know this because they look like tiny dots of light; if they were close, they would appear huge and bright like the Sun.
4. We can't see stars during the day because the Sun's light scatters in our atmosphere, creating a bright sky that hides the faint starlight.
5. One half is lit and the other is dark because Earth is a sphere. The Sun illuminates only the side facing it (Day), while the opposite side is in shadow (Night).
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 4th grade science worksheets.
