In science, we call this a thorough explanation that is supported by facts.
What is a scientific theory?
True or false:
Matter cannot be created for destroyed.
TRUE!
These are some challenges faced by astronomers when studying celestial events.
What are:
- events are very far away (stars, other solar systems/galaxies)
- events happened a long time ago
These things make astronomy hard to study!
These are the smallest whole units of matter.
What are atoms?
This theory explains the origins of our universe.
What is the Big Bang theory?
This state of matter is the most common in the universe.
What is plasma?
According to the most widely accepted theory, the universe is this many years old.
What is 13.8 billion years old?
These are the names of the 3 subatomic particles.
What are:
- Protons
- Neutrons
- Electrons
What are:
- Cosmic microwave background radiation
- Redshift of galaxies (they are moving away from each other; universe is expanding)
- Abundance of light elements
This is the main difference between mass and weight.
What is
- mass is constant
- weight varies with gravity
This is the concept of "a singularity" in the theory of the birth of the universe.
What is a point of infinite density and temperature (conventional physics did not apply)
The very early universe consisted of only this.
What are:
- subatomic particles
- simplest atoms of periodic table: Hydrogen & Helium (makes up over 99% of the universe!)