Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1: The Origin of the Universe PDF

Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1: The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System LESSON 1.2 Steady-State Theory and Oscillating Universe Theory Table of Contents Introduction...

Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1: The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System LESSON 1.2 Steady-State Theory and Oscillating Universe Theory Table of Contents Introduction 1 Learning Competency 2 Learning Objectives 2 Warm-Up 3 Learn about It 4 The Steady-State Theory 4 Overview of the Steady-State Theory 4 Proponents of the Steady-State Theory 5 Drawbacks of the Steady-State Theory 5 The Oscillating Universe Theory 6 Overview of the Oscillating Universe Theory 6 Proponent of the Oscillating Universe Theory 7 Drawbacks of the Oscillating Universe Theory 8 Key Points 8 Check Your Understanding 9 Bibliography 10  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System Lesson 1.2 Steady-State Theory and Oscillating Universe Theory Containers having different volume and mass Introduction Do you usually go to the grocery store? If you do, you should have noticed that grocery stores love promos. They usually ask you to buy a thing in packages. For instance, if plastic containers are on sale, it is usually sold in a package of three to five pieces with varying sizes. At a glance, you know that the bigger sized plastic containers will be heavier to carry. If you don’t want your packed lunch to add weight to your bag, especially if you carry a lot of 1  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System other things, you will not ask your mom to use the bigger plastic container for your packed lunch. However, choosing a smaller container means that less food can fit inside. This is a problem, especially if you want to eat more because you need more energy to accomplish tasks in school. In these situations, you can conclude that mass and volume are directly proportional. As the plastic container increases in volume, it gets heavier as well. How about the container’s density? Does it change as the object increases in size? This relationship among mass, volume, and density also applies to some theories on how our universe began. How could this mass, volume, and density relate to the theories of the origin of the solar system called the steady-state theory and oscillating universe theory? Learning Competency At the end of this lesson, the given enrichment competency should be met by the students. Compare the different hypotheses explaining the origin of the universe. Learning Objectives At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do the following: Explain the origin and the fate of the universe according to the steady-state theory and oscillating universe theory. Identify different proponents of the steady-state and oscillating universe theories. Enumerate negative implications of the steady-state and oscillating universe theories. 2  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System Warm-Up Bar of Soap: A Model of an Expanding Universe Materials clean cloth plastic knife ruler square-shaped bath soap (or any square-shaped object that can be sliced) weighing balance Procedure 1. Slice the square-shaped bath soap twice lengthwise and twice crosswise to form nine equal pieces. 2. Get one slice of the soap and measure its side using a ruler. 3. Calculate the volume of a piece of soap by multiplying the length by width and by height (l × w × h). Record the calculated volume of the soap. 4. Put one slice of soap on a clean cloth first before putting it on the weighing balance. Record its weight. 5. Calculate the density by dividing its mass by volume. Record its density. 6. Repeat steps two to five but this time using four slices of soap. 7. Repeat steps two to five but this time using nine slices of soap. Guide Questions 1. What is the relationship between mass, volume, and density in the experiment? 2. What can you say about the density of the soap as the number of slices increases? 3. Relate this activity with this statement: “The density of the universe remains constant as it continuously expands while simultaneously creating matter.” 3  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System Learn about It The Steady-State Theory The steady-state theory is another theory that tries to explain the origin of the universe. As opposed to the big bang theory, this theory states that the universe has no beginning and no end. Essential Question How does the steady-state theory explain the origin of the universe? Overview of the Steady-State Theory The steady-state theory suggests that the universe has always been here and will always be present. It also suggests that the universe always looks the same in any time or space but it continuously expands while simultaneously creating matter. During expansion, the density of the universe remains constant; hence, the name steady state. It also explains that the rate of the death of stars is equal to the rate of birth of stars. Hence, as a whole, the universe is not evolving over time. Fig. 1. In the steady-state theory, matter is constantly created as the universe expands. Both the big bang and steady-state theories explain that the universe is expanding. However, the difference is that the big bang shows that as the universe expands, the density 4  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System of matter decreases over time. On the other hand, the steady-state theory shows that the universe maintains a constant density as it expands. This means that matter such as stars and galaxies are continuously being added to the universe. Fig. 1 illustrates the primary concept of the steady-state theory. Remember The big bang theory and steady-state theory both explain that the universe is expanding. The only difference is that the big bang theory states that density decreases as the universe expands, while the steady-state theory states that density remains constant. Proponents of the Steady-State Theory The steady-state theory was proposed by Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred Hoyle in 1948. These three physicists from Cambridge released the idea of the steady-state theory by submitting two papers to Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, one from Bondi and Gold, and the other one from Hoyle. The steady-state idea of Bondi and Gold may have started when they watched a movie together in the late 1940s. It was a horror movie entitled “Dead of Night” which started and ended in the same way. The circular plot of the movie inspired them to suggest that the universe was dynamic but unchanging. This means that the universe is constantly changing yet remains the same. Some criticism arose since the theory did not explain how matter could be generated out of nothing. Essential Question Why do some scientists reject the steady-state theory in favor of the big bang theory? Drawbacks of the Steady-State Theory The steady-state theory was so simple that it was widely accepted even before the proposal 5  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System of the big bang theory. However, other astronomers did not favor this theory since it is not parallel with the law of conservation of energy and mass where energy and matter cannot be created nor destroyed but can only change their form. The discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation significantly supported the explanations given by the big bang theory and led many scientists to reject the steady-state theory in 1965. The steady-state theory explained that cosmic radiation is a result of a supernova. However, after thorough research, it was proven that the radiation is equal in any direction of the universe and could not be a result of many supernovae. The Oscillating Universe Theory Have you ever wondered how many universes there are? Or is our universe the only one? If the oscillating theory holds true, our universe might be the first of the probable series of the universe or the nth universe in the series. Essential Question How does the oscillating universe theory explain the origin of the universe? The oscillating universe theory discusses that the universe is expanding and will contract once all the energy after the big bang has been used up, only to expand again once it approaches the point of singularity (i.e., the beginning of a new universe). It is also referred to as the pulsating theory. Overview of the Oscillating Universe Theory The oscillating universe theory can be described as the combination of the big bang and the big crunch. The big crunch occurs when the universe expands and eventually reverses, then collapses, causing the formation of a singularity or the occurrence of another big bang. The oscillating universe theory suggests that once the universe reverses and attains the point of singularity, another universe will be born. This is referred to as the big bounce. Richard Tolman, an American mathematical physicist and physical chemist, theorized that 6  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System the universe may be the first in the cycle, or it could be a result of a previous big bounce event. Fig. 2. The oscillating universe theory Proponent of the Oscillating Universe Theory Besides being a mathematical physicist and physical chemist, Richard Tolman was someone to look up to in statistical mechanics. He later became a physical chemistry and mathematical physics professor at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). One of his students is Linus Pauling to whom he taught the pre-Schrödinger quantum theory. In the years after Einstein discovered general relativity, Tolman made essential contributions to theoretical cosmology. In his monograph entitled, “Relativity, Thermodynamics, and Cosmology,” he documented and explained that the universe has zero energy 7  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System because the positive mass-energy and negative gravitational energy cancel each other out. His theory on the oscillating universe caught attention to struggles regarding entropy and resulted in its demise. Drawbacks of the Oscillating Universe Theory Like the steady-state theory, scientists discovered many loopholes in the oscillating universe theory. This theory suggests that the universe would collapse on its own after it reaches its full expansion, which would violate some current laws of physics, such as the postulated existence of dark energy. Dark energy is believed to be the driving force of the accelerating expansion of the universe. At present, the postulated end of the universe is by big freeze or heat death. The universe would continuously expand until it reaches a point wherein all its energy dissipates. Key Points The steady-state theory suggests that the universe has always been here and will always be present. ○ It was proposed by Hermann Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Fred Hoyle in 1948. The oscillating universe theory discusses that the universe is expanding and will contract once all the energy after the big bang has been used up, only to expand again once it approaches the point of singularity. It is also referred to as the pulsating theory. ○ Richard Tolman is the proponent of the oscillating universe theory. 8  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System Check Your Understanding A. Write S if the statement describes the steady-state theory or O if it describes oscillating universe theory. 1. Other astronomers did not favor this theory since it did not follow the law of conservation of energy and mass. 2. It states that our universe might be the first of the probable series of the universe or nth universe in the series. 3. During expansion, the density of the universe remains constant. 4. It suggests that the universe has always been here and will always be present. 5. The universe is not evolving over time. 6. It discusses that the universe is expanding and will contract once all the energy after the big bang has been used up, only to expand again once it approaches the point of singularity. 7. The universe continuously expands while simultaneously creating matter. 8. This theory can be described as the combination of the big bang and the big crunch. 9. This theory suggests that once the universe reverses and attains the point of singularity, another universe will be born. 10. It explains that the rate of the death of stars is equal to the rate of birth of stars. 9  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System B. Draw a Venn diagram. Write two unique features of the steady-state theory on the first outer circle and two unique features of the oscillating universe theory on the second outer circle. Then, write at least one similar feature in the overlapping area. Bibliography Chambers, John, and Jacqueline Mitton. From Dust to Life the Origin and Evolution of Our Solar System. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2013. Darling, David. “Chamberlin-Moulton Planetesimal Hypothesis.” The Worlds of David Darling. Accessed March 16, 2017. http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/CMplanhypoth.html. 10  Earth and Life Science Grade 11/12 Unit 1:The Origin of the Universe and the Solar System “Extrasolar Systems or Exoplanets.” University of Oregon. Accessed March 16, 2017. http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/ast121/lectures/lec24.html. Holder, Rodney D., and Simon Mitton. Georges Lemaître: Life, Science and Legacy. Germany: Springer Science & Business Media, 2013. Woolfson, Michael M. Time, Space, Stars, and Man: The Story of the Big Bang. Singapore: World Scientific, 2012. 11