MeTHOD
1. Partially inflate the balloon.
2. Fold and clip it shut with the clothespin so the air does not escape.
3. Draw six evenly spaced dots on the balloon with the marker.
4. Label the dots A through F
5. Using the ruler, measure the distance, in mm, from Dot A to each of the other dots
6. Record your measurements in Table 1 under initial measurements.
7. Remove the clothespin and inflate the balloon some more
8. Observe what happens to the dots
9. Pin the balloon closed and measure the distance from Dot A to each of the other dots.
10. Record your data in Table 1 under Trial #1
11. Repeat Steps 7 – 10 two more times
QUESTIONS
1. If the Universe formed from the sudden release of energy and matter, why are there billions and billions and billions and billions of dots on your balloon? Hint: what force caused some of these little dots to form big dots.
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2. In your model, what distance changed the most?
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3. In your model, what distance changed the least?
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4. If each dot represents a group of stars, describe the motion of these groups relative to one another
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5. Based on your model, is the Universe expanding, contracting, or staying the same?
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6. Based on your model, how does the distance between the objects effect how quickly the objects are moving away
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7. What parts of the Big Bang theory does your model allow you to verify?
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8. How is your model similar to reality and how is your model different?
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9. What are some of the advantages and disadvantage of using your model to study the Big Bang Theory?
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10. Does your model prove the Big Bang Theory? Explain.
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sUGGESTED ANSWERS
1. If the Universe formed from the sudden release of energy and matter, why are there billions and billions and billions and billions of dots on your balloon? Because gravitational attraction is not present between the small dots which would have brought them together to form large dots that represent galaxies, nebulae, etc.
2. In your model, what distance changed the most? Your Data.
3. In your model, what distance changed the least? Your Data.
4. If each dot represents a group of stars, describe the motion of these groups relative to one another. They are stationary but space/distance between them is increasing.
5. Based on your model, is the Universe expanding, contracting, or staying the same? Expanding.
6. Based on your model, how does the distance between the objects affect how quickly the objects are moving away. The faster the dots/objects are moving away from one another, the longer the distance between them.
7. What parts of the Big Bang theory does your model allow you to verify?
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How everything came from a single point (singularity).
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The rapid inflation of space (when balloon is blown quickly).
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Space increasing between stationary astronomical objects - the farther away, the faster they are moving away from one another (supports Hubble's Law which proves, that at some point the universe came from a singularity).
8. How is your model similar to reality and how is your model different? Examples:
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Similarities: Everything came from a singularity, the universe is still expanding, distance is increasing between galaxies.
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Differences: Small dots not merging to become larger dots - lack of gravitational attraction, not proportionally accurate in size/distance, the rate at which the universe is expanding.
9. What are some of the advantages and disadvantage of using your model to study the Big Bang Theory? Examples:
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Advantages: Good visual representation the core concepts of the Big Bang, simple (easy to explain/understand the balloon's inflation in relation to the Big Bang).
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Disadvantages: Not completely accurate to reality, only scratches the surface of the theory and does not delve into depth about the timeline, evidence, etc.
10. Does your model prove the Big Bang Theory? Explain. Your opinion.
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