1. Formation of the Solar System

2. Solar Nebula Theory
Solar System was formed from a massive cloud of gas and dust
collapsed forming dense clumps of matter
over time the cloud became hot enough for nuclear fusion to begin
a disc of gas was formed around the core

3. Solar Nebula Theory the Sun formed from the centre of the disc
solar winds pushed lighter gases away, accumulated to form the gas giants
denser clumps of solid matter remained close to the Sun forming the terrestrial planets over time

4. Evidence for the Solar Nebula Theory
explains key aspects of the Solar System (planets orbit the Sun in same direction, planets in the same plane etc.)
other planetary systems in various stages of this formation process
can simulate the process with computers

5. The
Origin and Evolution
of the Universe

6. Our Expanding Universe
1. What did Albert Einstein’s equations predict?
Universe is expanding
2. What was the surprising discovery that Edwin Hubble made?
All galaxies appeared to be moving away from each other

7. Evidence for Our Expanding Universe
3. What is the phenomenon known as Red Shift?
light from galaxies shifting toward the red end of the visible spectrum
4. What does it indicate?
Galaxies are moving away from Earth

8. Evidence for Our Expanding Universe
5. What is “dark matter”?
hidden mass, its gravity is holding galaxies together
6. How did astronomers discover dark matter?
stars moving faster then expected given the mass of the stars and matter they can see

9. Evidence for Our Expanding Universe
7. What have astronomers observed about the rate of expansion of the Universe?
the rate of expansion is increasing
8. What is “dark energy”?
strange form of energy working against the force of gravity

10. The Origin of the Universe
The Big Bang theory explains the origin of the Universe

11. The Big Bang Theory
all matter and energy in the Universe expanded from a hot, dense mass
occurred approx billion years ago
at first instance the Universe was expanding energy which cooled to form clumps of matter, making up our Solar System

12. Evidence for the Big Bang Theory
static interference from the remnants of energy released during the Big Bang
mapping of the radiation in the Universe after the Big Bang
satellites that provide information of when the first stars began to shine

13. IN THE BEGINNING…….

14. EVERYTHING!

15. EVERYTHING!

16. STARTS EXPANDING…..
EVERYTHING!
ENERGY INCREASING, BECOMING LIKE A BOMB…….

17. Tick tick tick……

18. BOOM!

19. The Big Bang not really an ‘explosion’
universe expanded rapidly as a whole
(universe is still expanding today as a result of the Big Bang)
matter was created in the form of tiny particles (protons, neutrons, electrons)
too hot for normal ‘stuff’ to form (e.g. atoms, molecules)

21. COSMIC ‘SOUP’

22. COSMIC ‘SOUP’
PROTON
NEUTRON
ELECTRON

23. 300,000 Years Later….. Universe much cooler, atoms start to form…..
Hydrogen, Helium, normal ‘stuff’

24. Universe is now a GAS
HELIUM
HYDROGEN

25. GRAVITY!

26. Gravitational Collapse
we started with a uniform gas
small regions became more dense
the denser regions had larger gravity and started to pull other particles towards them
the gaseous Universe began to look ‘clumpy’

27. What have we learnt? the Universe started with a BIG BANG
gradually the particles were drawn together under GRAVITY to form STARS and GALAXIES
many stars have planets around them
the fate of the Universe is uncertain…