Deborah, Gayla, Aubrey #1, Aubrey #2

Deborah, Gayla, Aubrey #1, Aubrey #2

Big Bang Balloon

An activity you can use in the classroom

In the 1920s astronomer Edwin Hubble used the red shift of the spectra of stars to determine that the universe was expanding. By carefully observing the light from galaxies at different distances from Earth, he determined that the farther something was from Earth, the faster it seemed to be moving away. This relationship has become known as Hubble's Law, and it's just one piece of a bigger puzzle known as the Big Bang theory.

Developed over many years and by many people, the theory states that about 15 billion years ago the universe was compressed into an infinitely small space, known as the primordial atom. It exploded in a sudden burst of energy and created a small, superdense, extremely hot universe that began to expand in all directions. Over time things cooled, and tiny bits of matter clumped together to form stars and galaxies. As a result of this explosion, all of these objects are still moving away from each other. In this experiment, you'll create a simple model to learn how the universe expands over time.

•12-inch (30-cm) round latex balloon

•a permanent felt-tip marking pen

•24-inch (60-cm) piece of string

•metric ruler

1.Inflate your balloon until it is about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, but do not tie the end.

2.Using the felt-tip marker, make six dots on the balloon in widely scattered locations. Label one dot "home" and the others A-E. The home dot represents the Milky Way galaxy, and the others represent galaxies formed in the early universe.

3.Without letting air out of the balloon, use the string and ruler to measure the distance from home to each dot. Record the distances in the worksheet table under the heading "Time 1."

4.Inflate the balloon so that its diameter is about 2 inches (5 cm) bigger. Again measure the distances to each of the dots, and record the distances under "Time 2" on the worksheet.

5.Inflate the balloon in 2-inch (5-cm) increments three more times. After each inflation, measure and record the distances on the worksheet (pg. 2 of the printable PDF).

Answer the follow-up questions on the worksheet.

Apollo thirteen Scene.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE) (to

room at large)

- Okay, listen up... Quiet down, people... Quiet down! Quiet

down! Let's stay cool, people. Procedures, I need another

computer up in the RTCC. (Real Time Computer

Complex). I want everybody to alert your support teams.

Wake up anybody you need. Get them in here... Let's work the

problem, people. Let's not make things worse by guessing.

ANDY (CAPCOM - WHITE)

- Thirteen, this is Houston. We are going around the room

now. We're gonna get you some answers.

JACK SWIGERT

- I'll tell you. We keep venting like this, we're gonna keep

hitting the edge of that dead band.

FRED HAISE (to LOVELL)

- Hey, take a look at the O2 on number 1... 200 pounds and

falling.

SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE)

- O2 tank 2 still zero. Tank 1; 218 psi and falling.

JIM LOVELL

- Is that what you get? Confirm.

ANDY (CAPCOM - WHITE)

- We're seeing the same, Thirteen.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- Can we review our status here, Sy, let's look at these

things from a... from a standpoint of status. What have we

got on that spacecraft that's good?

SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE)

- I'll get back to you, Gene.

FRED HAISE

- We're not gonna have power much longer. This ship's

bleeding to death.

SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE)

- Flight.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- Yeah. Go, EECOM.

SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE)

- Uhm... Flight, I recommend we shut down the reactant

valves of the fuel cells.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- What the hell good is that gonna do?

SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE)

- If that's where the leak is, we can isolate it. We can

isolate it there, we can save what's left in the tanks and

we can run on the good cell.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- You close 'em, you can't open them again. You can't land

on the Moon with one healthy fuel cell.

SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE)

- Gene, the Odyssey is dying. From my chair here, this is

the last option.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, Sy... CAPCOM, let's have them

close the reactant valves.

ANDY (CAPCOM - WHITE)

- Thirteen, this is Houston. We want you to close reac

valves on cells 1 and 3. Do you copy?

JIM LOVELL

- Are you saying you want the whole smash? Closing down the

reac valves for the fuel cells' shut down? Shutting down the

fuel cells. Did I hear you right?

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- Yeah, they heard me right... Tell them we think that's the

only way they can stop the leak.

ANDY (CAPCOM - WHITE)

- Yeah, Jim... We think that closing the reac valves may

stop the leak.

GENE KRANTZ (FLIGHT DIRECTOR - WHITE)

- Did he copy that?

ANDY (CAPCOM - WHITE)

- Do you copy, Jim?

JIM LOVELL

- Yes, Houston, we copy.

JIM LOVELL (to CREW)

- We just lost the Moon... Okay, Freddo, shut those down.

FRED HAISE

- Let's see what this does.

JACK SWIGERT

- If this doesn't work. We're not gonna have enough power

left to get home.

The student will use their prior knowledge of constellations to construct their own grouping of stars that seem to form a picture. The students have the freedom to create anything from these stars that is appropriate for the school environment. This lesson also requires some imagination and creativity on the part of the student.

The purpose of this lesson is for the students to apply their knowledge of constellations into the constructions of their own group of stars that seem to form a picture in the night sky.

After this lesson, students should see that the way constellations are connected is arbitrary. Anyone can play connect the dots and come up with a constellation. The modern constellations are no longer used as a tool to tell a story. Astronomers use the constellations as boundaries for different regions of the sky use them.

Directions for Creating Your Own Constellation

To create a constellation:

1. Each student receives star maps with no lines or names on it, just simply the dots. (see materials)
2. The student should study the maps and look for visual patterns that may resemble a constellation.
3. The student should experiment by connecting various dots to see if a NEW constellation can be created.
4. Once the student has successfully connected the dots, they should associate the new star lines with an object, animal etc.

To name the constellation:

1. Remind the students that the names of the constellations are in Latin. Some constellations are translated as what they represent, while others are proper names for a person or creature.
2. Select a name in English.
3. Use a translation program to switch its meaning into Latin. (see materials)

Materials and Resources

Materials needed to construct the constellation:

Materials needed to name the constellation:

Web Site Resources

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