The Big Bang

Explained
 3
Table of Contents Essential Standards
Essential Standards 3 EEn.1.1 Explain the Earth’s role as a
Essential Questions 5 body in space.
Key Discussion Points 6 • EEn.1.1.1 Explain the Earth’s motion through
space, including precession, nutation, the
The Earth is NOT Flat 23 barycenter, and its path about the galaxy.
4 Compelling Reasons 23 • EEn.1.1.2 Explain how the Earth’s rotation and
Telescopes 28 revolution about the Sun affect its shape and is
related to seasons and tides.
Eclipses 46
• EEn.1.1.3 Explain how the sun produces energy
Key Essential Questions 56 which is transferred to the Earth by radiation.
Videos 60 • EEn.1.1.4 Explain how incoming solar energy
makes life possible on Earth.
Self - Tests 63
Multiple Choice 64
Matching 68
Sun’s Layers 69
Terms of Reference 74
Notes 76

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 I Can Statements Essential Questions
You as the Learner, will.... 1. How is Earth’s tilt related to seasons and the day/night cycle?
2. How does motion affect each planet in our Solar System?
• Understand key characteristics of the Sun 3. How do scientists extend their knowledge of the universe?
4. Why does each phase of the moon rise and set at specific times of
• Compare and Contrast Fusion and Fission
the day or night?
• How the Earth’s atmosphere filters specific wave of the 5. What scientific explanations are given for the existence of the
electromagnetic spectrum
solar system?
• How energy flows from the Sun to the Earth
6. What forces helped shape our solar system?
• Understand key characteristics of the Earth’s magnetic 7. Why does the path of the Sun in the sky change throughout the
field
year?
• Explain Earth’s origin and its relative motion in the Solar
System 8. How does the tilt of the earth affect seasons/ day & night at
different latitudes throughout the Earth?
• Recall key characteristics related to Earth’s motion, tilt &
rotation 9. Explain how the positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon affects tides
on Earth.
• Describe the moon’s effect on the Earth
10. How does the angle between the earth, sun and moon determine
• Explain Precession and Nutation
the phase of the moon?
• 10. Explain planetary orbits & Kepler’s Laws 11. Why are there different phases of the Moon?

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 The Characteristics of a Galaxy

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 Cluster System

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 From the Sun
Average distance Earth’s tilt
from the Sun
150 million km (93,5
million miles)

Revolution around
the Sun (Earth year)
365.25 days

Diameter at the
equator
12,756 km (7,940 mi)

Orbital Speed
27.79 km/s (17 mi/
sec.) Diameter at the
Equator
Average Temp
15 °C (59 °F)

Axial Tilt
23.5°

Rotation
23.56 hours
Of the Earth’s surface
is water

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 Precession Barycenter
the point between two objects
The Earth’s “wobble” at its axis. where they balance each other.

The Barycenter (center of mass)

between the Earth and moon is
almost at the half-way point of the
Earth’s radius

Nutation
The “wobbling” around the
precessional axis

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 The Magnetosphere is the region of space
surrounding Earth formed by the interaction of the
solar wind with Earth's magnetic field.

The Earth behaves like a giant Electromagnet.

Deep in the Earth, molten metal (mostly iron) flows
due to heat which causes convection.
This flow tends to organize itself into patterns, just
like the patterns you’ll see in oil if you heat it in a The electromagnetic shield protects the
frying pan. Such patterns in a flowing conductor Earth from the Sun’s radioactive barrage.
tend to create magnetism.
Without the Magnetosphere - the Earth’s
atmosphere would be ripped away.

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 The bright dancing lights of the aurora are
actually collisions between electrically
charged particles from the sun that enter the
earth's atmosphere and interact with the
Earth magnetic shield.
The lights are seen above the magnetic poles
of the northern and southern hemispheres.
They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the
north and 'Aurora australis' in the south..

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 The images below are images of the sky from different
4 Compelling Reasons regions. If the earth was flat, you would expect to see a
sunset (at the same time) that looks the same overall.

During a lunar eclipse, when the Earth

is between the sun and the moon, the
shadow of the Earth on the moon. As
the shadow moves across the moon it
is clearly round.

The curvature of the Earth is also

The reason ships appear as if they "emerge from the visible in the hundreds of thousands of
waves" is because the world is not flat: It's round. photos snapped by astronauts aboard
the International Space Station and
those taken from space probes.

Flat objects don’t move through space

effectively.
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 However, X-rays are so energetic
(and have such a small wavelength)
that they tend to pass through most
things, including mirrors.

Reflecting Telescopes Refracting Telescopes

• uses concave mirrors to focus • uses convex lenses to bring
a large amount of light onto a visible light to focus
small area • largest lens is called objective
• the larger the mirror the more lens
light the telescope can collect • the second is the eyepiece
• a flat mirror then reflects the lens
light to the eyepiece lens • light passes through objective
• this is the majority of visual lens and then it focuses the light
telescopes used today at a certain distance away from The ability to make an X-ray telescope moved
the lens astronomy forward in a big leap; the creation of
• larger objective lenses collect X-ray telescopes with better spatial resolution
more light and larger effective collection areas will
continue to reveal exciting new information
about the workings of our Universe
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 Pro - A benefit to using radio telescopes
Most radio telescopes have curved, reflecting is they are not dependent on the night
surfaces used to detect radio waves from an sky, they can be used during the day too.
object in space. The surface of telescope
focuses radio waves onto small antennas.

Cons - One problem of radio telescopes, it is

it often hard to pinpoint the source of the
waves, so they are often used in quantities
to help pinpoint a source more accurately.

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 Everything in our solar system began forming at approximately the
same time, 4.6 billion (4,600,000,000) years ago

Kuiper Belt - Giant Asteroid Belt where many of the Dwarf

Planets (i.e. Pluto and it’s planets) exist. It is the source of
most comets that transition through our Solar System.

492126 mph
230 million years

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 2.

1.
3.

4.

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 865,373.7 miles
2,715,395.6 miles

24479538 F
0
9932 F

Fusion
Hydrogen is
fusing into
Helium

92957130.3587 miles
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 The far side of the moon (shown) is
constantly concealed from us because
the Moon is in a “tidal lock” with the Earth
- only one side faces Earth all the time. Days to orbit the
Earth

Distance to Earth
Diameter

The moon has a very thin atmosphere, so

a layer of dust - or a foot print -can sit
undisturbed for centuries.
Daytime temp on
Temperature varies widely - there is no the face of the
atmosphere to regulate temps. Moon

Temp on the far side of the

Moon

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 New -> WAXING -> Full -> WANING -> New

Maria – plains of lower

Craters – elevation
caused by
impacts
during the
early
formation
of the
solar
system

Rays –
trails of
Leading to a Full Moon: material
Waxing: When the Moon is on
the right, getting bigger every that was
night. Waxing = growing tossed out
Waning = shrinking.
when
Leading to a New Moon: Highlands – mountains that
Waning: When the Moon is craters
cover most of the Moon’s
waning, on the left it’s fading. formed
surface; heavily cratered.

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 1. How is Earth’s tilt related to seasons and the day/night cycle? 5. What scientific explanations are given for the existence of the
The Earth’s imaginary axis isn’t straight up and down, it is tilted 23.5 degrees. solar system?
As the Earth moves around the sun during a year, The Big Bang Theory is the overarching theory; the nebular
• the northern half of the Earth is tilted towards the sun in the summer, making
daytime longer than night. hypothesis for planetary formation and the formation of stars from
• In winter, this reverses; the earth tilts away from the sun and nighttime collapsing gas.
becomes longer.
• In the spring and fall, the tilt is neither toward or away from the sun but 6. What forces helped shape our solar system?
somewhere between, so day and night are more the same at these times of There are four distinct forces that shape the Universe.
the year. • Gravity - attractive force between all objects with mass
• Strong Nuclear Force - keeps the components of the nucleus
2. How does motion affect each planet in our Solar System?
All planets follow Kepler's three laws of planetary motion. together
• Weak Nuclear Force - active in the disintegration of a neutron and
nuclear reactivity
• Electromagnetic Force - the force that affects electrically charged
bodies

7. Why does the path of the Sun in the sky change throughout the
year?
The Earth’s orbital around the Sun is elliptical and the Earth has a
23.5 degree tilt.

8. How does the tilt of the earth affect seasons/ day & night at
different latitudes throughout the Earth?
When the northern half of Earth is tilted toward the Sun, the southern
3. How do scientists extend their knowledge of the universe? hemisphere is tilted away. People in the southern hemisphere
By collaborating with their peers, scientists can extend the scope of their experience the shorter day lengths and colder temperatures of
understanding, achieving much more than any of them would be capable of winter. The duration of daylight and darkness are more equally
individually. distributed across all latitudes of the globe.
4. Why does each phase of the moon rise and set at specific times of the day or
night?
The Moon rise 30 to 70 minutes later each day than the previous day?

The Moon orbits Earth once every 28 days or so, and as it orbits our planet, the
angle between the Sun, the Earth and the Moon changes.

When the Moon is to the left or the right of the Earth (if we place the Sun at a
distant 12 o'clock), an observer on the portion of the Earth facing the Moon
would see the sunward half of the Moon illuminated by daylight. The other half
of the Moon, which falls in shadow, would appear dark. This gives us the half-
moon phase.

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 9. Explain how the positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon affects tides 11. Why are there different phases of the Moon?
on Earth. • We only see the Moon because sunlight reflects back to us from its
The moon’s gravitational pull creates high and low tides. The moon’s surface. During the course of a month, the Moon circles once
location has a direct effect on pulling a bulge in the Earth. around the Earth.
• As the Moon circles the Earth, the amount of the lit side we see
changes. These changes are known as the phases of the Moon and
it repeats in a certain way over and over.

10. How does the angle between the earth, sun and moon determine
the phase of the moon?
• Moon phases are determined by the relative positions of the Moon,
Earth, and Sun.
• The Moon doesn't make its own light, it just reflects the Sun's light
as all the planets do. The Sun always illuminates one half of the
Moon. Since the Moon is tidally locked, we always see the same
side from Earth, but there's no permanent "dark side of the Moon."
The Sun lights up different sides of the Moon as it orbits around
Earth – it's the fraction of the Moon from which we see reflected
sunlight that determines the lunar phase.

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 Laniakea: Our home supercluster
Visualize Astronomy: The Virgo Cluster of Galaxies in 3D
This is how Earth's poles wobble over time

What is Precession?

Precession of Earth

Reasons for the Seasons

Why Do We Have Different Seasons? | California Academy of Sciences

Barycentric balls - classroom demonstration video

NASA ScienceCasts: Earth's Magnetosphere

How We Figured Out That Earth Goes Around the Sun

What's a gravity assist? | Mashable

Why Doesn't the Moon Fall to Earth? Exploring Orbits and Gravity

Trick to memorize the order of Moon Phases

How Do You Measure the Size of the Universe? | Space Time | PBS Digital
Studios

Cosmic Microwave Background Explained | Space Time | PBS Digital

Studios

What Is Redshi�? | Astronomic

Red shi� | Astrophysics | Physics | FuseSchool

Black Holes Explained – From Birth to Death

The Life Cycle of Stars

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 1. If the fission theory of moon formation is true, what is also true about the motion of Earth in 8. In which structure is the Sun located?
its formative stages? A. Orion Spur C. Cat’s Eye Nebula
A. Early Earth rotated on its axis much more slowly than it does today. B. Andromeda galaxy D. Horseshoe Nebula
B. Early Earth rotated on its axis much more quickly than it does today.
C. Early Earth revolved around the Sun much more slowly than it does today. 9. Which illustration BEST represents the shape of the galaxy that includes the Sun?
D. Early Earth revolved around the Sun much more quickly than it does today.
A. B. C. D.

2. The figure shows the path of a planet orbiting the Sun.

The three areas shaded in gray have equal areas.

According to Kepler’s second law, which conclusion is supported by

the data?
A. The time intervals from A to B, C to D, and E to F are all equal. 10. Classification of galaxies is based on which characteristic?
B. The time interval from A to B is twice the interval from E to F. A. the color of the galaxy C. how many stars make up the galaxy
C. The time intervals from A to B, C to D, and E to F combine to B. the shape of the galaxy D. how many planets make up the galaxy
be equal to one half of a full orbit.
D. The time intervals from C to D and from E to F combine to be 11. It would be impossible to send an aircraft into outer space using rocket fuel (a rocket
equal to the time interval from A to B wouldn’t be able to carry that much fuel). With that, what would be the best way for scientists
to propel a rocket into deep space?
3. What type of galaxy is the Milky Way? A. Emulsion propulsion C. Thrust
A. spiral B. elliptical C. irregular D. oval B. Gravity assist D. Nuclear fusion
4. Which number is closest to the estimated number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy? 12. Stars are made by condensed gas, dust, gravity and heat. The first stage of star formation is
A. 200 thousand B. 200 million C. 200 billion D. 200 trillion A. Protostar B. Planetary Nebula C. White Dwarf D. Nebula
5. In 2004 the Hubble space telescope captured images of distant star clusters, each 13. Which of these statements best explains the shape of Earth?
containing about a million stars. These star clusters were MOST likely part of which A. Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the
structure? equator than around the Prime Meridian.
A. a black hole B. a galaxy C. a nebula D. a solar system B. Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the
equator than around the Prime Meridian.
6. Scientists have collected data about many galaxies, including the Milky Way galaxy. What C. Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the Prime
makes the Milky Way galaxy difficult to observe from Earth? Meridian than around the equator.
A. Earth is located inside the Milky Way galaxy. D. Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the
B. The Milky Way galaxy absorbs more light than it emits. Prime Meridian than around the equator.
C. The Milky Way galaxy is too distant for detailed observations. 14. A direct alignment of bodies in the solar system can occur. This alignment causes which
D. Earth is moving in the opposite direction of the Milky Way galaxy. phenomenon at Point X on Earth?
A. low tides
7. On a clear night away from city lights, a band of light is easily observed in the night sky. B. full moon
Which statement BEST identifies this band of light? C. solar eclipse
A. It is the Milky Way galaxy as seen from the inside. D. winter season
B. It is a nearby galaxy known as the Andromeda galaxy.
C. It is the shift of light made as stars move away from the Sun.
D. It is a cloud of gas left over from the formation of the Sun.

Multiple Choice Answer KEY Multiple Choice Answer KEY

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
b a a c b a a a c b b d a c
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 15. The temperate zones of the United States experience changing of seasons from winter to 20. The Moon goes through phases as it revolves around Earth. During which phase of the
summer. Which is the reason for this annual change of seasons? moon would it be possible for a solar eclipse to occur?
A. the rotation of Earth on its axis A. new moon B. full moon C. waning crescent D. waxing gibbous
B. the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
C. the distance of Earth from the Sun 21. A tide is the periodic rise and fall of the surface of the ocean. Several factors combine to
D. the size and orbit of the Moon around Earth cause the tides. Which has the greatest effect on the height of a tide?
A. the revolution of Earth around the Sun C. the gravitational pull of the Sun
16. The diagram shows the difference in sunlight reaching Earth at Points 1 and 2. B. the gravitational pull of the Moon D. the tilt of Earth on its axis

22. India is in the Northern Hemisphere and Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere. In June,
Based on the diagram, what is another difference between it is summer in India and winter in Australia. What is the main reason the seasons are
2.
Points 1 and 2? opposite in the two countries?
A. Tides will be higher at Point 2 than at Point 1. 1. A. because Earth is tilted on its axis
B. The pull from gravity will be greater at Point 2 than B. because the Sun rotates on its axis
at Point 1. C. because Earth revolves around the Sun
C. Each day is slightly longer than 24 hours at Point 1 D. because of the distance between the countries
and slightly shorter at Point 2.
D. The region at Point 1 is experiencing summer while 23. The wobble illustrated in the diagram below is known as ________.
the region at Point 2 is experiencing winter. A. nutation B. precession C. tidal force D. barycenter

24. A low tide and a high tide occur in the oceans two times each day. Which factor has the
17. Based on the diagram, the point labeled A greatest effect on the size of the tides?
(the greater distance between the Earth and A. air pressure differences C. seasonal temperature variations
Moon) is the ______. B. gravitational pull from the Sun D. gravitational pull from the Moon
A. perigee
B. apogee 25. The Earth is a giant magnet comprised of a geographic north and south pole, and a
C. aphelion magnetic north and south pole. When you pull out our compass, which does the compass
D. perihelion naturally point to?
A. Magnetic North C. Magnetic South
18. Earth’s spherical shape results in an uneven B. Geographic North D. Geographic South
distribution of sunlight reaching Earth’s
surface. 26. Mars’ axial tilt is 25.19°. Earth’s axial tilt is 23.5°. What does this MOST likely indicate
A. wind speed about Mars?
B. temperature A. Mars has more extreme seasonal changes than Earth.
C. annual rainfall B. Mars has less extreme seasonal changes than Earth.
D. average humidity C. Mars’ year is longer than Earth’s year.
19. Every day, the Moon rises a little more than a half an hour later than it rose the day before. D. Mars’ year is shorter than Earth’s year.
Which statement BEST explains this phenomenon?
A. Earth rotates on its axis as it revolves around the Sun. 27. The the point in space around which two
B. The Moon rotates and revolves around Earth at the same rate. objects orbit and balance each other (represented by
C. One Earth rotation is faster than one Moon revolution around Earth. the arrow) is the _____.
D. One Moon rotation is slower than one Moon revolution around Earth. A. apogee
B. precession
C. nutation A.__________
D. barycenter
Multiple Choice Answer KEY Multiple Choice Answer KEY
15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.
b d b b c a b a b d a a d
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 Matching Terms of Reference
Scientists are able to see that
the Universe is expanding
1. based on visible light from a. nucleus
electromagnetic wave
frequency ________
The infrared (the burning
2. embers) left over from the Big b. Kupier Belt
Bang. ________
The dust and gas that was
3. once inside of a comet, but c. Asteroid
now surrounds it. ________
The core part of rock and ice of
4. d. fusion
a comet. ________
They are made of dust, rock,
5. gases and organic molecules e. Maria
rich in carbon ________
The place where Dwarf planets
6. f. Red Shift
and their moons are found. ________
Made of iron, stone, or a
7. g. Penumbra
combination of iron and stone. ________
Giant rocks (some as large as
8. sky scrapers and small h. Rays
planets) that orbit the sun. ________
An effect caused by the
9. moon’s gravitational force on i. gravity assist
the sides of the Earth. ________
Cosmic
The area where the partial
10. j. Background
shadow of an eclipse lands.
________ Radiation
The central core of the shadow
11. k. Highlands
cast by a solar eclipse. ________
Plains of lower elevation on
12. l. Umbra
the moon ________
Mountains that cover most of
13. m. coma
the moon’s surface ________
Trails on the moon’s surface
14. that were created when craters n. Tidal Bulge
smashed the surface. ________
The type of nuclear reaction
15. occurring at the core of the o. Meteorites
Sun ________
method uses a planet’s
gravitational energy to “sling
16. p. Comet
shot” it further into space than
it could move on its own ________

Matching Answer KEY

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
f j m a p b o c n g l e k h d i Sun Layers
a Inner Core
b Radiative Zone
c Convection Zone
d Photosphere
e Chromosphere
f Corona
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 b. c. d.
e.

a.
i.

f. g. h.
j.
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 Nicholas Copernicus - He thought that the sun was the center & the
angular momentum - Product of rotational inertia and rotational velocity plants went around the sun in circles
Aphelion - point in a planet's orbit that is farthest from the sun nuclear fission - A nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits
into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy
Axis - An imaginary line that passes through Earth's center and the
North and South poles, about which Earth rotates nuclear fusion - a nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low
atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the release of
Barycenter - The center of mass of two or more bodies orbiting around energy.
each other
Nutation - Wobbling of the Earth's axis that is superimposed on
bound orbits - orbits in which an object goes around another object over Earth's precession.
and over again
Perihelion - orbital point nearest the sun
conservation of momentum - Momentum of a system remains constant
when there are no net external forces acting on it. Precession - A slow motion of Earth's axis that traces out a cone over
a period of 26,000 years
eccentricity - strange and unconventional behavior
radiant energy - energy carried by light
eclipse - The partial or total blocking of one object in space by another
Revolution - The movement of an object around another object
electromagnetic waves - A form of energy that can move through the
vacuum of space. Rotation - The spinning of Earth on its axis
Ellipse - A regular oval shape, traced by a point moving in a plane so that satellite - An object that revolves around another object in space
the sum of its distances from two other points is constant, or resulting
when a cone is cut by an oblique plane which does not intersect the solar radiation - Transmission of energy from the sun in the form of
base. electromagnetic waves.

escape velocity - The velocity an object must reach to fly beyond a Sunspots - areas of gas on the sun's surface that are cooler than the
planet's or moon's gravitational pull. gases around them

Galileo - Italian astronomer and mathematician who was the first to use synchronous rotation - The state at which the Moon's orbital and
a telescope to study the stars rotational periods are equal.

Johannes Kepler - German astronomer who first stated laws of tidal force - a force that occurs when the gravity pulling on one side of
planetary motion (1571-1630). an object is larger than that on the other side, causing the object to
stretch
Kepler's laws of motion - (1) All planets move about the Sun in elliptical
orbits, having the Sun as one of the foci. Tycho Brahe - (1546-1601) established himself as Europe's foremost
astronomer of his day; detailed observations of new star of 1572.
(2) A radius vector joining any planet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas
in equal lengths of time. unbound orbits - paths that bring an object close to another object
just once
(3) The squares of the sidereal periods (of revolution) of the planets are
directly proportional to the cubes of their mean distances from the Sun. Universal Law of Gravitation - one of Newton's three rules of motion;
it explains that planetary bodies continue in elliptical orbits around
74 the sun because every object in the universe is attracted to every
other object by a force called gravity.
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Notes

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