IQ1) What is our Universe composed of?
Cosmology is the study of the entire Universe - what it is composed of, how did it begin and will it one day come to an end. Many cultures and religions have provided their own answers to these questions. The answers provided by scientists must match the observed patterns in data obtained by telescopes and other means. To begin to understand the current answers to these questions, we need to build our knowledge of the different objects found in the Universe.
Making Stars Against Violence
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6.1.1) How Big is our Universe?
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Our Universe is HUGE!
Task A) Watch the video "2009 Seconds that will make you question your entire existence" to get the VASTNESS of our Universe. |
Additional Resources
Video: How Big is the Universe
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6.1.2) What is our Universe made of?
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Task A) Start your journey of the Universe with Timon and Pumbaa in this clip from the Lion King (1 minute)
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Task B) Let's take a journey from the Sun and travel out into SPACE. Discuss what you would see. |
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Task C) Complete the worksheet "What is the Universe made of?" to start building a picture of the sort of things we find in our Universe.
Part 1) Watch the video "What is the Universe made of?" in your groups and answer the questions Part 2) Our class will need to divide into six groups. Each group will need to i) Conduct research on their allocated question (1 lesson) ii) Decide the structure of their lesson (max 5 mins). Each person is to present information from their slide for 1 min. When presenting they can give a handout, draw a diagram, provide interesting information, 60s fast quiz etc iv) Develop their presentation (1 lesson) v) Present (1 lesson) |
TAKE IT FURTHER IF YOU WANT
1) You can further build your notes using the youtube video "Intro to the Wonders of the Universe". Professor Brain Cox also talks about how all elements are made by stars. 2) Another amazing lecture about the Universe delivered by Professor Brian Cox |
6.1.3) So How long does it take to get to some of these places?
1. The space shuttle travels at 28,000 km/h. So how long would it take the shuttle to go to:
i) The Moon ii) Alpha Centauri (the nearest star) iii) Andromeda Galaxy (the nearest galaxy) iv) Betelgeuse - the red supergiant of Orion 2. What is a light year? - use this resource from NASA "what is a light year" and the internet to write a description of a light year. Extension - Worksheet What is a Light Year? |
6.1.4) How can gravity, the weakest force, hold the Universe together?
Project - Make a Board Game
Additional Universe Information
Star Gazing!!!
Your homework over the next few nights is ........ TO START STAR GAZING! There is so much to see. Use the ABC Beginners Guide to the Night Sky. Start with finding the Southern Cross and Orion Constellations using the star map provided. Try the iphone/android app "Star Walk 2" |
The Southern Cross
Orion Constellation -
The Sun - An Average Star
Despite its importance to life on Earth, the sun is a very ordinary star in a relatively unremarkable part of the Universe. The light coming out of the Sun is the result of nuclear fusion occuring at the center of the Sun. Hydrogen nuclei join together to form helium nuclei. When this happens, vasts amount of energy is produced. We live about 150 million kilometres away from the Sun and hence it's light takes about 8 minutes to reach us. Profile of the Sun Age: 4.6 Billion Years Type: Yellow Dwarf (G2V) Diameter: 1,392,684 km Circumference at Equator: 4,370,005.6 km Mass: 1,989,100,000,000,000,000,000 billion kg (333,060 x Earth) Surface Temperature: 5500 °C Practical: Size of the Sun
Use this method to determine the diameter of the Sun using simple equipment |
The Life Cycles of Stars:
Use the Information provided to create a poster that demonstrates the three different Life Cycle of Stars:
1 : Average Stars 2: Large Stars 3: Very Large Stars. Your group will be asked to present the information to the class. Your group should A short five minute video that gives a very good explanation about stars and how their existence is a always balanced by gravity and nuclear fusion. |
Black Holes
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There is so much information contained in the Light from STARS
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Spectrum of the Sun
More Resources
1) National Geographic Channel explores what we would find if we were able to travel the entire length of our universe in Journey to the Edge of the Universe. (approx 90 mins)
2. An outstanding short TED talk where Dennis Wildfogel tells the captivating tale of atoms' long journeys from the Big Bang to the molecules they form today and why we are made up of star dust. Cosmologists often refer to people as "cousins of the clouds". What is the Universe composed of? (approx 4 mins)
3. What are Stars? by Akila Jeeson-Daniel who is an Astrophysicist
4. What are Planets? There are just eight planets in our solar system, but there could be a hundred billion in our Milky Way galaxy alone. As we enter into a golden age of planetary discovery the possibilities are endless. Pushing out deep into space we are finding planets that are stranger than we could ever have imagined. From giant burning gas spheres to icy orphaned worlds wandering in interstellar space. So just how did they get to be so different? This video responds to all these questions.
5. The colour of stars - a link to a site which explores how the colour of a star tells scientists what it is made of.
6. The Life Cycle of stars - an activity to show what happens as stars move through their life cycle
7. More Information on the Life Cycle of Stars.
8. Black Holes - travel inside a black hole. Are they links to other universes?
9. What you weigh in different parts of the universe - The Exploratorium
10. Seeing all components of the Universe requires Observatories in Space.
11. An amazing new documentary by National Geographic "Inside the Milky Way" (1 hour and 35 mins)
12. An indepth study of the Sun called "Dark Secrets of the Sun"
13. Wonders of the Universe episode 1 Destiny
14. A musical investigation into the nature of atoms and subatomic particles called "Symphony of Science" featuring Morgan Freeman, Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, Brian Cox, Richard Feynman and Frank Close.
1) National Geographic Channel explores what we would find if we were able to travel the entire length of our universe in Journey to the Edge of the Universe. (approx 90 mins)
2. An outstanding short TED talk where Dennis Wildfogel tells the captivating tale of atoms' long journeys from the Big Bang to the molecules they form today and why we are made up of star dust. Cosmologists often refer to people as "cousins of the clouds". What is the Universe composed of? (approx 4 mins)
3. What are Stars? by Akila Jeeson-Daniel who is an Astrophysicist
4. What are Planets? There are just eight planets in our solar system, but there could be a hundred billion in our Milky Way galaxy alone. As we enter into a golden age of planetary discovery the possibilities are endless. Pushing out deep into space we are finding planets that are stranger than we could ever have imagined. From giant burning gas spheres to icy orphaned worlds wandering in interstellar space. So just how did they get to be so different? This video responds to all these questions.
5. The colour of stars - a link to a site which explores how the colour of a star tells scientists what it is made of.
6. The Life Cycle of stars - an activity to show what happens as stars move through their life cycle
7. More Information on the Life Cycle of Stars.
8. Black Holes - travel inside a black hole. Are they links to other universes?
9. What you weigh in different parts of the universe - The Exploratorium
10. Seeing all components of the Universe requires Observatories in Space.
11. An amazing new documentary by National Geographic "Inside the Milky Way" (1 hour and 35 mins)
12. An indepth study of the Sun called "Dark Secrets of the Sun"
13. Wonders of the Universe episode 1 Destiny
14. A musical investigation into the nature of atoms and subatomic particles called "Symphony of Science" featuring Morgan Freeman, Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, Brian Cox, Richard Feynman and Frank Close.