Explain the difference between the following terms: emotion, mood, and affect. Why do scientists NOT use them interchangeably?

What will be an ideal response?

a . Emotions tend to refer to conscious states that involve an evaluative reaction to something.
b. Moods tend to refer to a feeling, also conscious, that are not linked to a specific reaction to something.
c. Affect refers to the result of mapping all emotions onto a positive versus negative dimension. For example, joy, bliss, pleasure and happiness all are "positive" emotions while depression, sadness, and anger are all "negative" emotions. Affect can be either positive or negative. Positive emotions are good, while negative ones are bad.
d. Although some psychologists do use these three terms interchangeably, one can gain subtle distinctions in the concepts by using the above definitions. For example, emotions are the most specific, as they specify what the feeling is as well as what it is in reaction, too. Moods allow for a feeling that is disassociated from a specific reaction. If you use these terms precisely, it may help define experimental study manipulations with greater precision.