8.ESS1.1-Earth's Place in the Universe

Multiple Choice

Extremely distant galaxies are moving away from us at ___

• half the speed of light

• almost the speed of light

• the speed of light

• speeds faster than light

Multiple Choice

What does the expansion of the universe refer to?

• The movement of galaxies away from each other

• The contraction of the universe over time

• The oscillation of the universe between expansion and contraction

• The rotation of galaxies within the universe

As the universe expanded, it also cooled down. Just like when you leave your hot cocoa to cool, things started to come together. Atoms formed, and those atoms gathered to create stars, galaxies, and all the incredible things.

Now, here's the cool part that scientists found: when they look at faraway galaxies, the light they see is a bit reddish which is a microwave background. This is called redshift, and it's like a cosmic clue that tells us the universe is still expanding!

What is REDSHIFT?

Shows us the way light is traveling.

REDSHIFT- traveling away

BLUESHIFT- traveling towards

Doppler Effect of Light

On a visible light spectra, absorption lines shifted towards the violet show a blue shift and absorption lines shifted towards the red show a redshift.

SPECTRA

Multiple Choice

The observed spectrum shows evidence of a shift in the light spectrum. What type of shift is being observed and what does it mean for the galaxies?

• No shift because these are not the same galaxies.

• Red-shift; this means that galaxies are moving towards us.

• Blueshift; this means that galaxies are moving towards us.

• Redshift; this means that galaxies are moving away from us.

​Doppler Effect: Imagine An ambulance getting near you. What do you think it sounds like?
What if it gets farther away?

​The frequency is higher when an object is getting nearer, but lower when it's getting farther away.

What is the Doppler effect?

Open Ended

Challenging question. Which one is receiving more energy? (left or right?)

EXPLAIN your reasoning.

Blue - Blueshift- means more frequency which means more energy!

Red- Redshift- means less frequency and less energy!


THINK ALSO ABOUT FIRE: Which is hotter, blue or red fire?

​

Which color shows more energy?

Multiple Choice

A star is emitting red electromagnetic waves. What does this mean?

• The star is getting closer to us

• The star is getting farther away from us

• The star is staying the same spot

• The star is dying

​Discuss with your partner. (3min)
What does redshift, microwaves, doppler effect, tells us about the universe and the big bang?

​

Lets connect the dots.

​Approximately 14 billion years ago, the universe began from a point of singularity. There was no matter, no time, and no space. It was a single point that was infinitely hot and dense. It quickly expanded from a singular point to a large universe. As it expanded, it cooled and released electrons and particles, such as helium and hydrogen to form atoms. Atoms were pulled together by gravity to form matter, which makes up the celestial objects in the universe. This is how Earth and the Solar System were created. We have proof of the expansion because light is red-shifting. This is evidence that galaxies are moving away from each other and the universe is continuously expanding.

Rapid Expansion

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is evidence of the Big Bang Theory?

• Cavemen heard a loud bang at the beginning of time.

• The universe isn't moving

• The universe is expanding

• The universe is getting smaller

Multiple Choice

As galaxies move away from our galaxy

a shift in the electromagnetic spectrum is noticed. This phenomena is

called _____________.

• redshift

• blueshift

Multiple Choice

What is the correct order of the visible light spectrum starting with the longer wavelength?

• Red, yellow, orange, blue, violet, indigo

• Violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red

• Green, yellow, blue, indigo, red, orange

• Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet

Multiple Choice

Is Galaxy A moving

• Away

• Towards

• Stationary

Multiple Choice

True or False, the Universe is expanding?

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of observing a 'blue shift' in a galaxy's light spectrum?

• It indicates the galaxy is moving away from us at high speed

• It suggests the galaxy is moving towards us

• It shows the galaxy is not moving but expanding

• It implies the light from the galaxy is gaining energy

Multiple Choice

What is the relationship between redshift and the expansion of the universe?

• Redshift has no relationship with the expansion of the universe, it is simply a result of the Doppler effect on light.

• The relationship between redshift and the expansion of the universe is that as the universe expands, the light from distant galaxies gets stretched, causing their light to shift towards the red end of the spectrum, known as redshift.

• The relationship between redshift and the expansion of the universe is that as the universe expands, the light from distant galaxies gets compressed, causing their light to shift towards the blue end of the spectrum, known as blueshift.

• The expansion of the universe causes redshift in some galaxies, but not in others, so there is no direct relationship between the two.

Multiple Choice

What is a spectroscope used for?

• A spectroscope is used for measuring the temperature of objects.

• A spectroscope is used for capturing images of distant objects.

• A spectroscope is used for detecting radio waves.

• A spectroscope is used for analyzing the wavelengths of light.

Multiple Choice

How does a spectroscope work?

• A spectroscope works by amplifying the intensity of light.

• A spectroscope works by converting light into sound waves.

• A spectroscope works by measuring the temperature of light.

• A spectroscope works by separating light into its different wavelengths or colors.

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of a prism in a spectroscope?

• The purpose of a prism in a spectroscope is to disperse light.

• The purpose of a prism in a spectroscope is to reflect light.

• The purpose of a prism in a spectroscope is to amplify light.

• The purpose of a prism in a spectroscope is to absorb light.

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between absorption and emission spectra?

• Absorption spectra occur when atoms or molecules emit sound, while emission spectra occur when atoms or molecules emit light.

• Absorption spectra occur when atoms or molecules do not interact with light, while emission spectra occur when atoms or molecules interact with light.

• Absorption spectra occur when atoms or molecules absorb light, while emission spectra occur when atoms or molecules emit light.

• Absorption spectra occur when atoms or molecules emit light, while emission spectra occur when atoms or molecules absorb light.

Multiple Choice

What is the significance of spectral lines in a spectrum?

• Spectral lines in a spectrum are random variations in the intensity of light.

• Spectral lines in a spectrum provide information about the composition and physical properties of the source.

• Spectral lines in a spectrum are artifacts created by the measuring instrument.

• Spectral lines in a spectrum are caused by interference from other sources.

Multiple Choice

What is the relationship between the color of a spectral line and the element that produces it?

• The color of a spectral line is determined by the specific wavelength of light emitted or absorbed by the element.

• The color of a spectral line is determined by the density of the element.

• The color of a spectral line is determined by the size of the element.

• The color of a spectral line is determined by the temperature of the element.

Multiple Choice

What is the main target of learning in the topic of Spectroscopy as mentioned in the slide?

• To understand the spectrum of visible light

• To explain the relation between emission and absorption lines and describe what we can learn from those lines

• To study the intensity of light in spectroscopy

• To analyze the different colors in the spectrum

Multiple Choice

What is a spectroscope?

• A device that combines different frequencies of light into a single beam.

  
  

• A device that amplifies light to see distant objects.

  
  

• A device that detects the intensity of light.

  
  

• A device that splits a beam of radiation into its component frequencies.

  
  

Multiple Choice

What are emission lines?

• A full spectrum of light emitted by all atoms.

  
  

• The colors visible in a rainbow.

  
  

• Single frequencies emitted by specific atoms.

  
  

• Patterns formed by the interference of light waves.

  
  

Shows us the way light is traveling.

REDSHIFT- traveling away

BLUESHIFT- traveling towards

Doppler Effect of Light

On a visible light spectra, absorption lines shifted towards the violet show a blue shift and absorption lines shifted towards the red show a redshift.

SPECTRA

Just as the visible light spectra shows how light travels, star spectra shows the composition of stars. Spectroscopes are devices that measure the spectrum of light. While helium and hydrogen are the most common elements found in stars, there are other elements that make up a star as well.

A shifted spectra shows which way the star is traveling.

​

This star is composed of the elements hydrogen and helium.

Star Spectra

Multiple Choice

A spectroscope is tool that is used to

• see objects in far away galaxies

• show how the stars are moving toward each other

• show the composition of stars with spectral lines

• see how stars go through different stages of life

Multiple Choice

Which elements are found in this star?

• hydrogen, calcium, and magnesium

• calcium, helium, and hydrogen

• hydrogen, helium, and magnesium

• magnesium, calcium, and helium

Multiple Choice

The top image is first. What does the change from the first image tell us?

• There is no change from the first to the second image.

• The second image has shifted more toward the blue wavelength.

• The second image has shifted more toward the red wavelength.

Multiple Choice

Which elements are present in unknown star #272-B?

• Helium, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Sulfur, Iron

• Helium, Hydrogen, Sulfur, Iron, Gold

• Helium, Hydrogen, Silver, Sulfur, Iron

• Helium, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Silver, Iron

Multiple Choice

Which claim can you support based on the change from diagram 1 to 2?

• Size of the galaxy is increasing.

• The galaxy is moving toward Earth.

• Temperature of the Sun is cooling.

• The universe is expanding.

Multiple Choice

The observed spectrum shows evidence of a shift in the light spectrum. What type of shift is being observed and what does it mean for the galaxies?

• No shift because these are not the same galaxies.

• Red-shift; this means that galaxies are moving towards us.

• Blueshift; this means that galaxies are moving towards us.

• Redshift; this means that galaxies are moving away from us.

Multiple Choice

What happens during nuclear fusion?

• Gravity fuses together hydrogen and helium atoms; light and heat is produced

• Gravity fuses elements together to form celestial objects

• A star explodes and releases particles into the universe.

• A star burns fuel and dies out.

Multiple Choice

A spectroscope is tool that is used to

• see objects in far away galaxies

• show how the stars are moving toward each other

• show the composition of stars with spectral lines

• see how stars go through different stages of life

Multiple Choice

Which elements are found in this star?

• hydrogen, calcium, and magnesium

• calcium, helium, and hydrogen

• hydrogen, helium, and magnesium

• magnesium, calcium, and helium

Types of Telescopes (Light Funnel)

Reflecting Telescopes use curved
mirrors to collect light and direct them toward your eyes.

Refracting Telescopes use a lens to
collect light, which helps magnify the
image by focusing light waves to the
back of the telescope (toward your
eyes).

Types of Telescopes

Radio/Microwave Telescopes

X-Ray Telescope

IR/O/UV Telescope

Visible light can only help us see so much. Scientists have used other light wave telescopes to observe planets that visible light can’t transmit through in order to see their details.

Multiple Choice

Which of these types of light can't get through the Earth's atmosphere?

• Gamma Rays

• Visible Light

• Microwaves

• Radiowaves

Differentiating Light Waves

Scientists use a tool called a spectroscope that has a diffraction gradient to split apart the individual light waves and measure the wavelengths of light within the light.

Spectroscopes can be attached to telescopes/satellites in order to make observations of far away objects.

Different materials emit different spectrums of light, which we can compare to things off world. If an emission spectrum of an unknown substance matches a known substance, we can figure out what the unknown material is.

Applying spectra to the Doppler Effect

Multiple Choice

If a star is being observed from Earth and it's light has shifted towards the blue side of the electromagnetic spectrum it would be...

• Moving towards the Earth

• Moving away from the Earth

• This is a trick question that cannot be answered

• It isn't a star, it is a very large blueberry.

Multiple Choice

Where do LIGHT waves move the fastest?

• vacuum

• gas

• liquid

• solid

Multiple Choice

Which person would see a shorter wavelength of light waves?

• A

• B

Multiple Choice

Which person would see a red color to the light waves?

• A

• B

Multiple Choice

These data tables show the distance of various galaxies from Earth in millions of light-years (Mly) at different times. Which table supports the theory of expansion in the formation of the universe?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

This star contains sodium. The lines don't line up because...

• The star is red-shifted and moving away.

• The star is red-shifted and moving towards.

• The star is blue-shifted and moving away.

• The star is blue-shifted and moving towards.

Multiple Choice

Use the image to identify the motion of the object relative to Earth.  Compare the absorption spectra of the star to what the star would look like if it were not moving at all relative to Earth.

• It is not moving
• It is moving away from Earth (Redshift)
• It is moving towards Earth (Blueshift)
• It is moving towards Earth (Redshift)

Multiple Choice

In ____shift, the galaxies appear _____ in color b/c they are moving away from us.

• blue; red
• red; red
• red; blue
• blue; blue

Multiple Choice

The picture below represents the line spectrum of hydrogen

Which of the following represents the spectrum of Hydrogen from a source moving away rapidly?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

What does the 'Doppler Effect' demonstrate in the context of astronomy?

• The change in frequency of light as objects in space move closer or further away

• The rotation speed of planets in our solar system

• The temperature variations of stars

• The gravitational pull between galaxies

Multiple Choice

How does the Doppler Effect explain the observed blue shift in some galaxies?

• It indicates that these galaxies are moving away from us at high speeds

• It suggests that these galaxies are moving towards us

• It shows that these galaxies are not moving but expanding

• It proves that the light from these galaxies is losing energy

​The Big Bang Theory is not the only theory that tries to explain the creation of the universe. However, it the most popular current theory. Scientists have discovered that galaxies are traveling away from Earth. Scientists know this by studying the color of light that the galaxies give off. Light from each galaxy appears to be shifted toward the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum. This means they are traveling away from Earth. This supports the idea of a

great expansion from the Big Bang.

Multiple Choice

What does it mean if a galaxy gives off light which has been shifted toward the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum?

• The galaxy is much older than Earth.

• The galaxy is moving away from Earth.

• The galaxy is very hot and has not cooled down yet.

• The remnants of an explosion are between the galaxy and Earth.

Multiple Choice

True or False:

The Big Bang Theory is the ONLY explanation for the origin of the universe.

• True.

• False.

Another piece of evidence that supports the Big Bang was found when scientists had

launched the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite. It precisely measured the temperature of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. Scientists had made temperature predictions based on starting with a hot Big Bang. The satellite found temperatures which matched with the predictions. Scientists believe this radiation is from the energy released during the first year of the Big Bang.

​Scientists have estimated that the universe was formed over 13 billion years ago. In 1995,

scientists pointed the Hubble Space Telescope into an area of space that seemed empty.

The telescope collected light for 240 hours. The images that were sent back to Earth were

amazing. Many thousands of galaxies appeared in a space as small as a grain of sand.

​If there are this many galaxies spread evenly through space, there could be over 50 billion galaxies in the universe. The farthest galaxies are over 13 billion light years away. This supports the Big Bang Theory by telling scientists how old our universe is.

Multiple Choice

The Big Bang Theory suggests that our universe originated hot long ago?

• 10 - 20 billion years ago

• 10 - 20 million years ago

• 10 - 20 thousand years ago

• 10 - 20 centuries ago

The universe’s creation is still a mystery to scientists. The Big Bang is just one theory that tries to explain the origins of the universe. Exactly how big is the universe? Where is it expanding to? These questions continue to fascinate scientists and non-scientists alike.

STEMSCOPES - 2013 Rice University.

Multiple Choice

As part of The Big Bang Theory of the formation of the Universe, scientists believe that over time, the universe is continually changing in what characteristic?

• From more dense to less dense.

• From rotating to stationary.

• From cooler to hotter.

• From very large to very small.

Multiple Choice

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) is the term used to describe the residual microwave radiation observed everywhere in the universe that seems to have no single source. The observation of CMBR is used as evidence of The Big Bang Theory because it is believed to be -

• The result of collisions between neighboring galaxies.

• Particles of dust that have absorbed radioactivity.

• Radiation left over from the rapid expansion of matter.

• Light energy emitted from the source of The Big Bang.

Multiple Choice

Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is a form of _________.

• Matter

• Energy

• Visible Light

• Water

Multiple Choice

The "afterglow" of the energy from the origin of the universe that we see today.

• Cosmic microwave radiation

• sunlight

• Doppler effect

• Cosmic explosions

Multiple Choice

What does CMB stands for?

• Cell and Molecular Biology

• Cosmic Microwave Background

• Neither

• Critical Mass Balance

Multiple Choice

The CMB is:

• the remaining energy from the big bang.
• incredibly hot.
• visible to the human eye.
• only located in certain places in the universe.

Multiple Choice

The universe is ____________ years old.

• 8.13 billion
• 13.8 billion
• 1.83 billion
• 381 million

Multiple Choice

This is a picture of:

• The CMB.
• The Milky Way.
• The universe in the future.
• A redshifted star.

Multiple Choice

This thermal energy left over from the big bang is visible on your Tv set in the form of static.

• Solar radiation 
• UV radiation 
• cosmic background radiatiion
• nuclear radiation 

Multiple Choice

How does Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Radiation support the Big Bang Theory?

• CMB radiation is found everywhere in the universe.

• CMB radiation occurred at the time of the Big Bang

• CMB radiation are useful in our everyday lives

• CMB radiation is found on only on the outer parts of the universe.

Multiple Choice

How is the "Big Bang" described?

• an explosion

• an expansion

• a contraction

Multiple Choice

All the left over radiation left over from the big bang, is spread evenly throughout the universe

• Cosmic Background Radiation

• Universal Expansion

• Radioactive Decay

• Redshift/BlueShift

Multiple Choice

What does the Big Bang theory suggest?

• The universe was just there
• The Milky Way is the only solar system
• The universe is continually expanding
• The universe is collapsing in toward a single point

Multiple Choice

Which description is considered most accurate regarding what actually happened during the Big Bang?

• Two galaxies collided causing an immense explosion as stars crashed into one another

• All of what would become the universe was concentrated in a single small point, or singularity, which rapidly expanded into what is now stars, planets, galaxies, matter, and energy.

• All matter emerged from a massive black hole at the center of the universe.

• Parts of the sun were ripped off by massive internal explosions and were thrown into space where they cooled to become other things, like plants, comets, and other galaxies.

Big Bang

red shift

hydrogen Helium

Cosmic Background
Radiation (CBR)

Multiple Choice

What is one piece of evidence that supports the Big Bang theory?

• Cosmic microwave background radiation

• The existence of black holes

• The phases of the Moon

• The orbit of planets around the Sun

Open Ended

How do scientists know the universe began with a rapid expansion?