Question

(a) Why are shadows at noon shorter than in the morning or in the evening?

(b) What is an eclipse ? Name the two types of eclipses.

Answer 1

(a) At noon the sun is directly overhead. So, the sun rays fall vertically on the body. Hence the shadow is very short. In the morning and evenings, the sun rays fall in an inclined position. So, the shadows are long.

(b) Eclipses are the examples of formation of shadows in nature. There are two kinds of eclipses:
1. Lunar eclipse (the eclipse of the moon), and
2. Solar eclipse (the eclipse of the sun).
Lunar eclipse is due to the formation of shadow of earth on moon and solar eclipse is due to the formation of shadow of moon on earth.