EALS Chapter 1 - Module 1
EALS Chapter 1 - Module 1
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Core Subject Description: This module is designed to provide a general background for the
understanding of Earth Science and Biology. It presents the history of the Earth through geologic time. It
discusses the Earth’s structure, composition, and processes. Issues, concerns, and problems pertaining to
natural hazards are also included. It also deals with the basic principles and processes in the study of biology.
It covers life processes and interactions at the cellular, organism, population, and ecosystem levels.
This module covers three chapters in the first quarter and seven in the second quarter. Each Chapter
has at least 3 modules specifically indicating the most essential learning competencies of 2020.
MODULE
INTRODUCTION
Our universe is both ancient and vast, and
expanding out farther and faster every day. This
accelerating universe, the dark energy that seems to be
behind it, and other puzzles like the exact nature of the
Big Bang and the early evolution of the universe are
among the great puzzles of cosmology.
Our universe is 13.7 billion years old, but astronomers are peering deep into its history and are getting a greater
understanding of how the first stars formed, and how the earliest galaxies came together. See images, illustrations and
diagrams of the universe from now back to the Big Bang.
The dark ages of the universe — an era of darkness that existed before the first stars and galaxies — mostly
remain a mystery because there is so little of it to see, but scientists intensely desire to shed light on them in order to
learn secrets about how the universe came into being.
Not only are scientists unsure how the universe will end, they aren't even sure it will end at all.
In this module, you will give evidence for and explain the formation of the light elements in the Big Bang theory.
At the end of Module 1, you are expected to answer the key question below:
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Describe the structure and composition of the universe;
2. Briefly discuss the cosmology of the Big Bang model; and
3. Provide an overview of the proof for the Big Bang model.
Let us determine how much you already know about the origin of the universe. Take
the test below.
Pre-Test
Multiple Choice
Select the correct letter.
1. Which of the following theories suggests that the universe originated from a singularity that expanded
continuously?
A. Oscillating Universe Theory
B. Pulsating Theory
C. Big Bang Theory
D. Steady State Theory
2. Which of the following describes the Big Crunch according to the Oscillating Universe Theory?
A. reversal of the universe’s expansion
B. continuous expansion of the universe
C. formation of matter
D. formation of antimatter
3. Which of the following theories suggests that the universe will stay the same throughout time?
A. Creationism Theory
B. Steady State Theory
C. Pulsating Theory
D. Big Bang Theory
4. Which of the following is true about the Oscillating Universe Theory?
A. The universe resulted from a series of Big Bang and Big Crunch.
B. The universe is always present and will not change.
C. The universe will not change its density.
D. The universe will not stop expanding.
5. What happens during nucleosynthesis?
A. Matter and antimatter collide with each other.
B. Atomic particles combine with other atomic particles.
C. Dark energy is produced.
D. Matter and antimatter combine with each other.
Glossary of Terms
Let’s learn about it!
• Cosmology - the science of the origin and development of the universe. Modern astronomy is dominated by the
Big Bang theory, which brings together observational astronomy and particle physics.
• Big Bang theory - is the leading explanation about how the universe began. At its simplest, it says the universe as
we know it started with a small singularity, then inflated over the next 13.8 billion years to the cosmos that we know
today.
• Big-bang model - widely held theory of the evolution of the universe. Its essential feature is the emergence of the
universe from a state of extremely high temperature and density—the so-called big bang that occurred 13.8 billion
years ago.
• Singularity - a point at which a function takes an infinite value, especially in space-time when matter is infinitely
dense, as at the center of a black hole.
• Inflation - is a theory of exponential expansion of space in the early universe.
• Annihilation - in physics, reaction in which a particle and its antiparticle collide and disappear, releasing energy.
The most common annihilation on Earth occurs between an electron and its antiparticle, a positron.
• Relative abundance - the relative proportion of each element found in the Universe. ... The solar abundance in
terms of numbers of atoms gives 90.8% hydrogen, 9.1% helium, and 0.1% other elements.
• Cosmic microwave background (CMB, CMBR) - in Big Bang cosmology, is electromagnetic radiation as a
remnant from an early stage of the universe, also known as "relic radiation". ... As the universe expanded, both the
plasma and the radiation filling it grew cooler.
Tips:
There are several limitations and misconceptions associated with discussing the Big Bang Theory. Keep in mind the
following:
• The Big Bang refers to the very start of the whole process called the Big Bang model.
• The Big Bang was NOT an explosion that carried matter outward from a point. It refers to the rapid inflation of
space itself.
• The theory does not explain what caused it or where the singularity came from, BUT the Big Bang model does
not need a cause to be a valid theory. It simply needs to show that observations and evidence validate its
assumptions. The model is a work in progress that we are still finding evidence for until now.
Materials:
• Balloons
• Balloon pump (optional)
• Small stickers (any design)
Procedure:
a. Stick small stickers randomly on the surface of the uninflated balloon.
b. Quickly inflate the balloon with a pump or your breath. Observe the stickers.
Q3. Why do the stickers appear to be moving away from each other?
Q4. Are the stickers moving across the balloon?
Q5. Do the stickers themselves grow in size?
Tips:
Hydrogen and Helium as the most abundant elements in the universe. Having the lowest mass, these are the
first elements to be formed in the Big Bang Model of the Origin of the Universe.
Singularity
The presence of the singularity is still a mystery to many scientists,
but they stated that this singularity constantly expands and cools. The
rate of expansion is almost equal to the rate of cooling; at this moment,
there is a buildup of intense heat which leads to the increase in the expansion of the singularity.
The intense heat also leads to the creation of matter and antimatter that are being destroyed every time they
collide with each other. During this moment, the number of matter dominates over the number of antimatter.
This started the dominance of matter, or atomic particles, in the early universe. These particles undergo
nucleosynthesis wherein they combine to form another atomic particle.
Nucleosynthesis
Nucleosynthesis leads to the formation of chemicals such as hydrogen and helium. These chemicals then lead
to the formation of the stars and the galaxies. The presence of the stars leads to the formation of larger matter
such as planets, comets, and other celestial bodies. Ever since the Big Bang happened, the universe continuously
expands, and the occurrence of the cosmic background radiation was suggested to be an aftermath of the
explosion that happened 20 billion years ago.
The Steady State Theory is so simple that it was widely accepted even before the proposal of the Big Bang
Theory. The discovery of the cosmic background radiation significantly supported the explanations given by the
Big Bang Theory, which led many scientists to reject the Steady State Theory. This theory first explained that the
cosmic background radiation is a result of a supernova. But after a thorough research, it was proven that it is
equal in any direction of the universe and could not only be a result of many supernovae.
Just like in the Steady State Theory, scientists discovered many loopholes in the Oscillating Universe Theory
because it was said that for the universe to collapse, energy must be present. This theory suggests that the universe
will collapse on its own after it reaches its full expansion, which violates some laws of physics.
Observed recession of galaxies: The consensus among astronomers is that Hubble's relationship between
the distance to galaxies and their recession velocity is due to the expansion of space. More distant galaxies or
clusters of galaxies exhibit higher redshift of their spectral lines than closer galaxies. This is then interpreted as
more distant galaxies receding from us faster than closer ones. Note it is important to realize that it is the space
between galaxies that is expanding. Galaxies themselves do not appear to expand as the local effects of gravity
dominate over any space expansion.
Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation: In 1965 two scientists working for Bell Telephone
Laboratories, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were adapting a horn-shaped antenna near New York for use in
radio astronomy. They encountered noise in the system and despite repeated and thorough attempts were unable
to remove it or find its cause. They eventually realized that this "noise" was in fact remnant radiation from the
big bang. Such radiation had been predicted by Gamow in the late 1940s. As the Universe expanded it cooled so
that today the background radiation corresponds to a temperature of 2.725 K and has a black body spectrum.
Formation of Matter
All matter, including the atoms in our bodies,
the air we breathe and the gas in the Sun is
composed is combinations of fundamental
particles that were created during the Big Bang
and subsequent evolution of the Universe. Before giving an outline of the key stages in the formation of matter
we need to review the fundamental particles and forces in the Universe.
I need to explore!
Q11. Aside from the theories discussed in this lesson, what other theories can you suggest to explain the origin
of the universe? You may use the internet to search for other theories.
Q12. Choose one of the theories about the origin of the universe. Create a concept map illustrating the events
that happen in the universe as explained by that theory.
What do I think?
Q13. Do you think the universe has a beginning or has it always existed? Explain your answer.
Q14. What is the fate of the universe? Will the universe continue to expand or will it eventually contract because
of gravity?
• Big Bang Theory states that the universe started as a singularity that exploded. This explosion resulted to
the formation of all the matter in universe.
• Steady State Theory discusses that the universe has always been there and will always be present.
• Oscillating Universe Theory discusses that the universe is expanding and will contract once all the energy
after the Big Bang is used up. The collapsing of the universe will then lead to the formation of a new
universe.
The following questions will determine how much you have learned from the module.
Posttest
Essay
1. Describes the structure and composition of the Universe.
2. Explain the source of a star's energy.
3. Explains the concept of the Red Shift and how it used as an evidence for an expanding universe.
4. Describes the cosmic microwave background radiation and its significance.
5. State the different hypotheses that preceded the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the universe
6. Explain the origin and evolution of the Universe according to the Big Bang Theory.