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 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
- It is red in color and made of iron
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?
- Starlight, sunlight and moonlight
- 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
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?
- Distant light shows what the universe looks like today
- Old light is the microwave background itself
- Far away means long ago, so early times can be seen
- Distant galaxies are where the explosion was
Luz's friend says the Big Bang was an explosion at one spot in empty space. Which response is best?
- Agree: the Milky Way is near the blast site
- Agree: debris flew out from one center
- Disagree: space itself expanded everywhere from a hot, dense state
- Disagree: the universe has stayed the same
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
The background light set off about 380,000 years after the start. What fraction of the universe's 13.8 billion years is that, by Pia's math?
- About 0.3%
- About 30%
- About 0.003%
- About 3%
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?
- Stars should be older than the universe
- Stars formed after the universe began, so they must be younger
- It shows the universe's age is just a rough guess with no support
- It shows the stars made the background
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 sit at the center of the universe
- They should hold fewer heavy elements
- They should hold more iron than the Sun
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?
- About 1,100 times shorter
- About 1,100 times longer
- About 3 times longer
- Unchanged, since light keeps its wavelength
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