Unit H: Galaxies and the Universe

1. The Sun is:

• Located at the center of the galaxy

• One star among billions of stars in the Milky Way

• The biggest and most powerful star in the galaxy

• Powered by an oxygen-burning process

Galaxies are huge collections of:

• Stars, dust and gas

• Planets and dust

• Planets and gas

• Stars with no dust or gas

We cannot see the Milky Way galaxy from outside of it because:

• It is the entire universe

• Its gravity is too strong

• It is too big and the Sun and solar system are embedded within the galaxy

• Light cannot escape from the galaxy

Scientists believe the universe began in an event called:

• The Big Crunch

• The Big Bang

• The Supernova

• The Cosmic Microwave Background

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2

Smaller objects in the universe group together and form larger structures. Place the items from the list below in the correct order from smaller to larger objects:

a

b

c

d

e

f

galaxy clusters

star clusters

galaxies

stars

superclusters

sheets and filaments

This celestial object is a:

• Planetary system

• Young star

• Galaxy

• Galaxy cluster

The diameter of the Milky Way is about:

• 100,000 light years

• 10 light years

• 100,000 kilometers

• 1 light year

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

Where is our Sun located in the Milky Way?

• In the center of the Milky Way

• About two-thirds from the center to the edge

• Near the edge of the Milky Way

• Astronomers don't know that yet

When seen edge on, the Milky Way:

• Is flat with a bulge in the middle

• Looks like a football

• Looks like a volley ball

• Is flat in the middle with a bulge at each edge

Match the terms in Column A with the correct number from Column B

• A galaxy similar to the Milky Way

• Neutron star

• Our nearest neighbor galaxy

• Magellanic cloud

• Remnants of a supernova explosion

• The Big Bang

• Possible origin of the universe

• Andromeda

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-2