The evidence for the Big Bang
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Spectrum strip with lines shifted far toward red; pie chart of its gas, nearly all hydrogen and helium. A newly measured galaxy has a large redshift, and the gas around it is almost pure hydrogen and helium. Which conclusions fit, by Esme's reading?
- It is red in color and made of iron
- It is nearby, and its gas was made in supernovas long ago
- It is very far away, and its gas is close to Big Bang gas
- It is moving toward us, so it is young
Read this first
Table, Evidence for the Big Bang (NASA, ESA), with columns Observation, What it shows
Galaxy redshifts grow with distance, space is expanding; microwave background at about 2.7 K, a hot, dense early universe; mostly hydrogen and helium, a little lithium, early element-making.
Which list of evidence supports the Big Bang model without relying on any one method, by Jun's reading?
- The Sun's age, Earth's age and the Moon's age
- Redshifts of one galaxy measured three times by one telescope
- Redshifts, the microwave background and light-element amounts
- Starlight, sunlight and moonlight
Light from very distant galaxies left them billions of years ago. Why does that let astronomers test the Big Bang model, by Kira's reading?
- Far away means long ago, so early times can be seen
- Distant galaxies are where the explosion was
- Old light is the microwave background itself
- Distant light shows what the universe looks like today
Luz's friend says the Big Bang was an explosion at one spot in empty space. Which response is best?
- Disagree: space itself expanded everywhere from a hot, dense state
- Agree: the Milky Way is near the blast site
- Disagree: the universe has stayed the same
- Agree: debris flew out from one center
Noah's friend says the microwave background is just the glow of all the stars. Which response is best (NASA)?
- Disagree: it comes from Earth's atmosphere
- Agree: it comes from the stars of the Milky Way galaxy
- Disagree: it was released before any stars existed
- Agree: starlight adds up to it
If the universe were much older than 13.8 billion years, what would the background's temperature be today, by Ren's reading?
- Hotter than 2.7 K
- Exactly 2.7 K
- Colder than 2.7 K
- About 3,000 K
The Planck mission gives about 13.8 billion years, and the oldest stars measured are a little younger. Why does that fit, by Tala's reading?
- It shows the universe's age is just a rough guess with no support
- Stars formed after the universe began, so they must be younger
- It shows the stars made the background
- Stars should be older than the universe
Four prediction cards, labeled A to D. Which prediction does the Big Bang model make about very distant, early galaxies, by Zee's reading?
- They should show blueshifts
- They should hold more iron than the Sun
- They should sit at the center of the universe
- They should hold fewer heavy elements
Background temperature (NASA, ESA)
Time Temperature at release about 3,000 K today about 2.7 K The background was about 3,000 K at release and is 2.7 K now. Its wavelengths have stretched by about what factor, by Ari's math?
- Unchanged, since light keeps its wavelength
- About 1,100 times longer
- About 3 times longer
- About 1,100 times shorter
Four cards, labeled A to D. Which observation would scientists need before changing the Big Bang model, by Bo's reading?
- Strong, repeated evidence that disagrees with its predictions
- A single unchecked measurement
- A galaxy with a redshift
- Someone's opinion that it seems strange