Components of the Universe

Components

of the
Universe

Multiple Choice

Warm-up: In the diagram of the moon orbiting the Earth, arrow 'A' most likely represents the –

• magnetic attraction of the Earth’s poles.

• weight of the Earth’s atmosphere.

• Earth’s gravitational pull on the moon.

• rotational force of the Earth.

Objective

● I will differentiate

between the
components of the
universe and
explain how gravity
holds everything
together.

● We will identify

that gravity is
the force that
governs the
universe and the
components of
the universe.

Watch the Solar System-Gravity Video

What is the force that governs the Earth, Solar System and Universe?

Gravity is a force of attraction between two objects.

o The strength of the gravitational force between objects is
dependent upon the mass and the distance between the objects.
o Gravity keeps objects in orbit around the sun.
o Gravity between the sun and other objects in the solar system
provide the centripetal force that pulls the objects toward the
center of the sun.
o Centripetal force is the force that causes objects to move in
circular path

Gravity

Components of the

Universe

There is much more to the
universe, than our solar system.
Watch the video and be ready to take notes about our universe.

Next >

Stars and planets are not the
only objects in space.

Introduction

… and dust particles that
can produce brilliant trails of
light in the night sky.

There are also lumps of rock…

… spheres of ice...

Asteroids

Next >

Asteroids are made from rocky or metallic
materials.

Most asteroids are irregular in shape, because they
do not have enough gravity to form themselves into
a sphere.

The smallest ones
are no larger than
pebbles, but many
are several
kilometers in
diameter.

Asteroids

Next >

The asteroid belt
lies between
Mars and
Jupiter.

Many asteroids
orbit the Sun in a
region called the
asteroid belt.

Asteroid Belt

Earth

Mars

Sun

Venus

Jupiter

Mercury

Multiple Choice

Where are most of the known asteroids to be found?

• In orbit around the Sun, between Earth and Mars.

• In orbit around the Sun, between Mars and Jupiter.

• In orbit around the Sun, between Jupiter and Saturn.

• In orbit around the Earth.

Comets

Next >

Comets have been
observed for
thousands of years.
Their characteristic tails
made them easy to
identify in the night sky.
Comets consist of ice, dust,
and rocky particles.

This is why they are
sometimes referred to as
‘snowballs’.

Comets

Next >

Comets orbit the Sun in highly elliptical orbits.

This takes them close to the Sun for part of
their orbit, and then out to the far reaches of
the Solar System.

Comets

Next >

Some comets take just a few years to orbit the Sun.
Others can take hundreds of thousands of years!

Comets

Next >

As a comet gets closer to the Sun, it speeds up as
the gravitational force increases.

The Sun’s heat causes the outer layers of the comet
to vaporize, carrying dust and gas away.

Comets

Next >

Energy from the Sun ‘blows’ the dust and gas into
two distinct tails – a dust tail and a gas tail.

Both tails point away from the Sun, but the
dust tail is slightly curved towards the direction
the comet has come from.

Dust tail

Gas tail

Multiple Choice

A comet’s gas tail points in which direction?

• In the direction the comet is moving.

• In the direction the comet has come from.

• Directly toward the Sun.

• Directly away from the Sun.

Meteors

Next >

Have you ever seen a
sudden flash of light
shooting across the
night sky?

Some people call them
‘shooting stars’, but
these bright streaks of
light are actually
meteors.

Navicore

Meteoroids

Next >

A meteor is the visible
trail made when a small
object from outer space
enters the Earth’s
atmosphere at high
speed.

These small objects are
called meteoroids,
and they travel around
the Sun in many
different orbits.

Meteoroids

Next >

Occasionally these
orbits can put them
on a collision course
with the Earth.

Meteoroids

Next >

The extreme heat also
creates a shining trail
of gasses and melted
meteoroid particles.

When a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere,
the intense air pressure heats it up so that it glows.

This causes the bright
trail of light that we see
as a meteor.

Impact Crater

Next >

50,000 years ago a meteorite hit Arizona, forming

this 1,200 m wide crater

Large meteorites can form an impact crater.

Multiple Choice

Some people call them ‘shooting stars’, but what is the proper name for the short-lived streaks of light that are sometimes seen in the night sky? 

• Meteors

• Meteorites

• Meteoroids

• Asteroids

GALAXIES

Galaxies are made up of MILLIONS or even BILLIONS

of stars and are classified according to shape.

SPIRAL galaxies have a strong

central mass (bulge) with the spiral

arms.

BARRED SPIRAL galaxies feature a strong
central stellar bar with the spiral arms
extending out from the ends of the bar.

ELLIPTICAL galaxies show little internal
structure. Oldest Galaxies

IRREGULAR galaxies show little evidence
of rotation. The youngest Galaxies.

Multiple Choice

What is the shape and name of the galaxy that the solar system is in?

• Elliptical- Milky Way

• Spiral- Milky Way

• Irregular- Milky Way

What is a star?

Hydrogen

Hydrogen

Helium

And this electron escapes

• A Luminous Ball

of Plasma held
together by
gravity.

• Fueled by

Nuclear Fusion.

UNIVERSE
STAR

GALAXY
NEBULA

PLANET

The Universe contains several galaxies. Galaxies contain multiple nebula,
stars, and planets. Nebulae are larger than stars and stars are larger than
planets. We cannot see the entire Milky Way because Earth is part of the galaxy.

COMPONENTS OF THE UNIVERSE

Clouds of dust and
gas (especially
hydrogen) where
stars form.

The Horsehead
Nebula

Nebulae

● You are in charge of being the expert of the

components of the universe.

● Popcorn read the information about your component

and each person answer the questions individually.

● After 8 minutes is complete, share your answers with

your table starting with the tallest person.

Become the Expert

Comets

A comet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun,
passing quickly amongst planets on its
journey. It appears as a flat ball, sometimes
dragging a tail behind it. A comet is made of
several gases, water, and dust that are frozen
into a kind of dirty snowball. The average
diameter of a comet is 62,000 miles. When
the comet is far from the sun it travels about
2,000 miles per hour. As it nears the Sun the
speeds may increase to over 100,000 miles
per hour. About ten new comets are
discovered every year. You can usually see a
comet without using a telescope about once
every three years.

1.What is a comet made of?

2.Compare a planet and a comet.
How are they alike? How are they
different?

3.Does a comet always travel at the
same speed? Why?

Read the information about comets and answer the following questions.

Comets

A comet is a celestial body that orbits the Sun,
passing quickly amongst planets on its
journey. It appears as a flat ball, sometimes
dragging a tail behind it. A comet is made of
several gases, water, and dust that are frozen
into a kind of dirty snowball. The average
diameter of a comet is 62,000 miles. When
the comet is far from the sun it travels about
2,000 miles per hour. As it nears the Sun the
speeds may increase to over 100,000 miles
per hour. About ten new comets are
discovered every year. You can usually see a
comet without using a telescope about once
every three years.

1.What is a comet made of?

A comet is made of several gases,
water, and dust that are frozen
into a kind of dirty snowball

2.Compare a planet and a comet.
How are they alike? How are they
different?

The both orbit the sun.A planet
revolves at the same speed and
does not have tail behind it.

3.Does a comet always travel at the
same speed? Why?

No, as it nears the sun speeds
increase.

Read the information about comets and answer the following questions.

Asteroids

Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are small
solid objects that also orbit the Sun. They are made
of iron, nickel, stone, or any combination of these.
There are thousands of asteroids and over 5,000 of
them are found between Mars and Jupiter in what is
called the Asteroid Belt. Asteroids range in size from
many kilometers to a few meters. The largest known
asteroid is called Ceres and measures 500 miles in
diameter. It is believed that asteroids are actually
parts of the solar system that never joined together
as planets. Most of the ones known today are
probably pieces of larger ones that smashed against
each other and broke apart. Scientists have found
evidence of the Earth being hit by asteroids about the
time of the ice age. In more recent years asteroids
have passed as close as 478,000 miles but there have
been no collisions.

1.Why are asteroids called minor
planets?

2.Where can we find the asteroid
belt?

3.What are asteroids made of?

Read the information about asteroids and answer the following questions.

Asteroids

Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are small
solid objects that also orbit the Sun. They are made
of iron, nickel, stone, or any combination of these.
There are thousands of asteroids and over 5,000 of
them are found between Mars and Jupiter in what is
called the Asteroid Belt. Asteroids range in size from
many kilometers to a few meters. The largest known
asteroid is called Ceres and measures 500 miles in
diameter. It is believed that asteroids are actually
parts of the solar system that never joined together
as planets. Most of the ones known today are
probably pieces of larger ones that smashed against
each other and broke apart. Scientists have found
evidence of the Earth being hit by asteroids about the
time of the ice age. In more recent years asteroids
have passed as close as 478,000 miles but there have
been no collisions.

1.Why are asteroids called minor
planets?

solid objects that also orbit the Sun

2.Where can we find the asteroid
belt?

between Mars and Jupiter

3.What are asteroids made of?

are made of iron, nickel, stone, or
any combination of these

Read the information about asteroids and answer the following questions.

Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites

Meteoroids are small bits of rock and dust that are
found in space. They are often pulled into the
Earth’s atmosphere by the force of gravity. Once
a meteoroid enters the atmosphere it begins to
burn, creating a streak of light in the sky. At this
point it is called a meteor, although it is commonly
called a falling or shooting star (which is NOT
true). Although many meteors burn completely
before they reach the ground, not all of them do.
If a meteor reaches the ground it is called a
meteorite. About 500 large meteorites make it to
the ground each year, but only about 5 of those
are ever recovered.

1.Describe a meteoroid.

2.Describe a meteor.

3.Describe a meteorite.

4.Why are meteors mistakenly called
shooting stars?

Read the information about meteoroids and answer the following questions.

Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites

Meteoroids are small bits of rock and dust that are
found in space. They are often pulled into the
Earth’s atmosphere by the force of gravity. Once
a meteoroid enters the atmosphere it begins to
burn, creating a streak of light in the sky. At this
point it is called a meteor, although it is commonly
called a falling or shooting star (which is NOT
true). Although many meteors burn completely
before they reach the ground, not all of them do.
If a meteor reaches the ground it is called a
meteorite. About 500 large meteorites make it to
the ground each year, but only about 5 of those
are ever recovered.

1.Describe a meteoroid.

small bits of rock and dust that
are found in space

2.Describe a meteor.

enters the atmosphere it begins to
burn, creating a streak of light in
the sky

3.Describe a meteorite.

If a meteor reaches the ground

4.Why are meteors mistakenly called
shooting stars?

creating a streak of light in the
sky

Read the information about meteoroids and answer the following questions.

Stars

All stars are huge spheres of glowing gas. They are
all formed within nebulas and are made up of
mostly hydrogen and helium. Astronomers classify
stars according to the physical characteristics such
as color, temperature, size and chemical
composition. The sun is the only star in our solar
system and is considered an average sized, yellow,
star.

1.Where are all stars created?

2.Stars consist mostly of what two
gases?

3.How do scientist classify stars?

4.Describe the characteristics of our
star, the sun.

Read the information about stars, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Stars

All stars are huge spheres of glowing gas. They are
all formed within nebulas and are made up of
mostly hydrogen and helium. Astronomers classify
stars according to the physical characteristics such
as color, temperature, size and chemical
composition. The sun is the only star in our solar
system and is considered an average sized, yellow,
star.

1.Where are all stars created?

all formed within nebulas

2.Stars consist mostly of what two
gases?

mostly hydrogen and helium

3.How do scientist classify stars?

physical characteristics such as
color, temperature, size and
chemical composition

4.Describe the characteristics of our
star, the sun.

average sized, yellow, star

Read the information about stars, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Nebula

Somewhere in space a cloud of gas (mainly
hydrogen and helium) and dust begins to collect.
This cloud is called a nebulae. This is where stars
are created. For a few billion years the cloud
contracts and grows warmer as more gas and dust
are pulled in. When the object becomes dense
enough the pressure and heat cause the energy
releasing reactions, called nuclear fusion, and the
cloud begins to burn. The cloud is now a young
star.

1.What is a nebulae?

2.What are nebulae made of?

3.What is the process that forms nebulae
into a young star?

4.What would happen if all the nebulae in
the universe suddenly stopped contracting
and pulling in more gas and dust?

Read the information about Nebula, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Nebula

Somewhere in space a cloud of gas (mainly
hydrogen and helium) and dust begins to collect.
This cloud is called a nebulae. This is where stars
are created. For a few billion years the cloud
contracts and grows warmer as more gas and dust
are pulled in. When the object becomes dense
enough the pressure and heat cause the energy
releasing reactions, called nuclear fusion, and the
cloud begins to burn. The cloud is now a young
star.

1.What is a nebulae?

cloud of gas (mainly hydrogen and
helium) and dust begins to collect

2.What are nebulae made of?

hydrogen and helium

3.What is the process that forms nebulae
into a young star?

nuclear fusion

4.What would happen if all the nebulae in
the universe suddenly stopped contracting
and pulling in more gas and dust?

No more stars

Read the information about Nebula, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Galaxies

A galaxy is a huge group of single stars, star systems, star
clusters, dust, and gas bound together by gravity. There
are billions of galaxies in the universe. The largest galaxies
have more than a trillion stars. Astronomers classify most
galaxies into the following types: spiral, elliptical, and
irregular. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a spiral galaxy. It
had pinwheel like arms that contain dust, gas, and many
bright young stars. Elliptical galaxies look like a round egg
and are extremely bright. They contain only old stars.
Irregular galaxies have no determined shape and have many
bright, young stars and lots of gas and dust to form new
stars.

1.Galaxies are made of
________________,
___________________ and
_____________________.

2.Describe a spiral galaxy.

3.Describe the shape of an elliptical
galaxy.

4.Which type of galaxy contains only
old stars?

Read the information about galaxies, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Galaxies

A galaxy is a huge group of single stars, star systems, star
clusters, dust, and gas bound together by gravity. There
are billions of galaxies in the universe. The largest galaxies
have more than a trillion stars. Astronomers classify most
galaxies into the following types: spiral, elliptical, and
irregular. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is a spiral galaxy. It
had pinwheel like arms that contain dust, gas, and many
bright young stars. Elliptical galaxies look like a round egg
and are extremely bright. They contain only old stars.
Irregular galaxies have no determined shape and have many
bright, young stars and lots of gas and dust to form new
stars.

1.Galaxies are made of stars, dust
and gas.

2.Describe a spiral galaxy.

It had pinwheel like arms that
contain dust, gas, and many
bright young stars

3.Describe the shape of an elliptical
galaxy.

Elliptical galaxies look like a round
egg and are extremely bright.

4.Which type of galaxy contains only
old stars?

Elliptical galaxies

Read the information about galaxies, watch the video and answer the following questions.

Match the word with its correct description.

1

small bits of rock and dust that are found in space

2

minor planets, are small solid objects that also orbit

the Sun

3

made of several gases, water, and dust that are

frozen into a kind of dirty snowball

Meteoroids

Asteroids

Comets

Our Sun is A Star

Facts About Our Sun

Location

Closest to Earth

Brightness

Average (Other stars are brighter than ours)

Temperature

Average (Other stars are hotter than our sun.)

Size

Average(Other stars are bigger than our sun.

●Is our sun the brightest star in the universe?

●Is our sun the biggest star in the universe?

●Is our sun the hottest star in the universe?

●Why does our sun appear to be the biggest and brightest star in the universe?

Our Galaxy is the Milky Way Galaxy

FACTS ABOUT OUR GALAXY

Name:

MILKY WAY

Shape:

SPIRAL

Our Sun's Location

Near the edge of the galaxy at Orion's arm

We are
Here!!!

Fill in the Blanks:

Our galaxy name is _______________________________. It has a _____________________ shape.
Our sun is located near the _____________________________________________________________.

SPIRAL?

Elliptical?

Irregular?

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL

Elliptical

Irregular

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL?

Elliptical?

Irregular?

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL

Elliptical

Irregular

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL?

Elliptical?

Irregular?

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL

Elliptical

Irregular

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL?

Elliptical?

Irregular?

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL

Elliptical

Irregular

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL?

Elliptical?

Irregular?

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL

Elliptical

Irregular

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL?

Elliptical?

Irregular?

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.

SPIRAL

Elliptical

Irregular

Determine if each galaxy
below is irregular, spiral or
elliptical and place it in the
correct box.