AS Science In Society 1.

10

Introduction
And so to the Big Bang.

The activity
Part 1 predictions and outcomes
This introduces Big Bang theory by looking at some of its
predictions. The first one was a failed prediction, but the flaw
was found to be in the assumptions made in using the data,
rather than in the theory. The predicted microwave background
radiation and its anisotropy are major successes for the theory.

Part 2 a dialogue concerning the origin of the

Universe
Developed from the original SPU item.
This activity requires the students to consider the basic ideas of
the Big Bang hypothesis in a novel form that links back to
Galileos dialogues. It can be used as a review activity once the
ideas have been discussed or as a starting point for
independent work.
The dialogue has questions at some key points, for students to
provide additional explanation. Appendix A has some guidance
for teachers on these points.
There are a number of ways in which the dialogue can be
used:
as a script for three members of the group to read/perform to
the rest
of the group
as a script read in small groups
as a passage for individual reading
Once the script is read, individual students can use the textbook
and other suggested resources to answer the questions posed.
This is best performed as an individual activity although
students could discuss each others responses after a suitable
period of individual work. This involves more than copying out
tired arguments as the students are required to put the
arguments in words the character might speak. Some students

Page 1

Teacher Notes

Resources
Textbooks.
Sheets of paper (or similar) for
summaries.
Screen and means of
projection of summaries.
Student briefing sheets.

How Science Works

Comments on the application of HSW
ideas in this activity.
It is worth noting that there are some
scientists who continue to explore the
notion that the totality of existence did not
begin with the Big Bang speculation
about the possibility a multiverse
continues, illustrating that robust debate is
at the heart of science that dissenting
voices are challenged sometimes to the
point of mockery, but in the end not always
ignored.
For those who find the Big Bang
inadequate as a complete source of
explanation the motivations may be very
human aesthetic, religious, or perhaps
anti-religious. They may be deep and
emotional motivations, rather than
objective. Such motivations may be
entirely valid if they lead to questioning.
A cautious note is that while Big Bang
theory has survived some cycles of
prediction and test, and is the preferred
theory about the Universe, it remains an
emerging theory and more observational
evidence will be needed before everybody
can accept the Big Bang as the end of the
story (or as the absolute beginning).

The Nuffield Foundation, 2008

Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges

AS Science In Society 1.10

Teacher Notes

will enjoy acting out the whole dialogue, including their responses. Some may be interested that Galileo and
Shakespeare were born in the same year.

Appendix A outline answers to questions in the Dialogue

These notes are deliberately brief. Longer explanations may be expected from students.
1. The students are expected to give an explanation of red shift. Salviati might try to help out his friends by
using an analogy with sound. Note that large red shifts are not due to galaxies moving through space but,
rather, due to space itself expanding and taking the galaxies with it.
2. The further galaxies show bigger redshifts and hence are receding more quickly. This can be represented
by a rubber band a sort of one-dimensional version of the expanding balloon. Take a nice thick rubber band.
Write the letter A on the unstretched band. Write the letter B two centimetres away from A. Write the letter
C two centimetres away from B. Now stretch the band. C will move away from A at twice the speed that
B does.
3. Answers should provide descriptions of the cosmic microwave background and its discovery.
4. This is an interesting one. Penzias and Wilsons discovery was certainly objective in the sense that they
were not out to relating to a particular theory. This does appear to give the Big Bang hypothesis more
credibility but if evidence is objective it doesnt matter whether the researcher is seeking to test a theory or
not.
5. There are three possible fates of the Universe. It can expand forever at a decreasing rate, it can collapse in
on itself or it can stop expanding and freeze at a certain size. The ultimate fate depends on the amount of
mass in the Universe.

Page 2

The Nuffield Foundation, 2008

Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges

AS Science In Society 1.10

Teacher Notes

July 2008

Page 3

The Nuffield Foundation, 2008

Copies may be made for UK in schools and colleges

AS Science In Society 1.10

Student sheets

Introduction
Did the Universe have a beginning, or has it always existed? Its a question that brings science and
religions together. Its a question that has motivated scientists for a long time.
The scientific approach is to suggest some ideas that may or may not turn out to be any good. The ideas
are tested by using them to make predictions, and then by seeing how the predictions turn out. Many
ideas fail. Some survive.

Activity
Part 1 Predictions and outcomes
If the Universe had a beginning then matter and space and time also all have a beginning and that is
what we call the Big Bang. The ideas of no matter, no space and no time are pretty incomprehensible
but then, they never existed because there was no such thing as before the Big Bang. The idea fits
neatly with the observation that the Universe is expanding it may be expanding from its original state of
no space.
If the Universe had no beginning then expansion is harder to explain but that doesnt mean that it is
impossible to explain. In the past, some scientists proposed a theory of this, called the Steady State
theory. It has not been as successful as Big Bang theory at making predictions, and most scientists
prefer the Big Bang idea.
These are some predictions made by Big Bang theory at different times:
Prediction
The Universe is 3.4 billion
years old

Outcome

Hint: Cepheid variables see textbook

Radiation that originated in
the very early stages of the
expansion of the Universe still
exists and should be
detectable. It corresponds to
radiation that would be emitted
by a cold body with a
temperature of about 5 K (268 C).
Hint: Penzias and Wilson see textbook

AS Science In Society 1.10

We see a Universe full of

lumpy bits, like galaxies and
people and chocolate pudding,
separated by a lot of relative
emptiness. The strength of
the radiation should be
different in different directions
in the sky. If it was perfectly
smooth then it couldnt have
led to the unsmooth Universe
that we can see.

Student sheets

Hint: COBE (and WMAP) see internet

Describe the outcomes of the predictions as fully as possible in the spaces provided.

AS Science In Society 1.10

Student sheets

Part 2 A dialogue concerning the nature of the Universe

Introduction
In the year 1632 Galileo published his Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems. Galileo presented the
competing models of the Solar System through the words of two speakers. Simplicio defended the
geocentric (Earth-centred) view of Ptolemy whereas Sagredo supported the Copernican model. A third
character, Salviati, represented an intelligent man trying to decide between the two theories. Here we
have a possible dialogue between a modern day Simplicio and Salviati about a more recent theory.

Activity
Taking one of the parts, read the Dialogue Concerning the Origin of the Universe (below), in a small
group or as a class performance.
Add explanations, as if you were Salviati, at the numbered points (1 to 5) in the Dialogue. Use the
textbook or other sources to help you.
Dialogue Concerning the Origin of the Universe
Scene: Inside a pub. Simplicio and Salviati are sitting at a table beside a window. Rain is spotting
against the window from a grey November sky. The two friends have met for lunch. They have known
each other for years.
Simplicio is a solicitor, Salviati an engineer. Simplicio is complaining that his wife made him watch a
television programme about the Big Bang rather than the film he was looking forward to. They are
expecting Sally, Simplicios wife, to join them later.
Simplicio: Just because Sallys brother is one of you lot, some sort of techy -nerd, she
made me watch some absolute nonsense about the Universe.
Salviati: And the programme was nonsense because . . . . . ?
Simplicio: Because there was no sense in it. I should write a letter of complaint.
Salviati: Complaining about what, exactly?
Simplicio: Complaining about the rubbish thats shown on the television. Obviously.
Salviati: But you havent told me what this rubbish is.
Simplicio: Right then. As it happens I have a good memory for detail, it goes with my job.
This is what I remember. What are you doing?
Salviati: Getting out a notebook. I havent got a good memory for detail so if Im going to
try to convince you about these ideas I need to take notes.
Simplicio: You dont get out very much do you?
Salviati: Come on, this will be fun.
Simplicio: Thatll be fun spelt d..u..l..l I suppose.
Salviati: Come on, Ive only got another two hours off.

AS Science In Society 1.10

Student sheets

Simplicio: Excellent. Two more hours wasted on this nonsense. So, as far as I remember the
programme, this is the theory, according to Professor No Mates or whatever he was called. One day
there was nothing. Nothing but empty space. And then all of a sudden Bang there was this explosion
and the Universe started sort of filling up.
Salviati: Youve got that wrong. There was no space before the Big Bang. Time, matter
and space were all created together.
Simplicio: So that makes it better does it? Seems even more dodgy now. Anyway this thing
happened about fourteen million years ago.
Salviati: Fourteen billion years ago.
Simplicio: Same thing.
Salviati: Its lucky youre not an accountant.
Simplicio: Billions or millions. Doesnt really matter, does it? Its not going to change my mortgage.
Anyway, the whole thing started with a huge sort of explosion. But it was just energy. Very hot. And then
it kept expanding and getting cooler. After about 300 000 years atoms started forming, is that right?
Salviati: Yes, go on.
Simplicio: Well, thats about it. Professor whats-his-name seemed less interested in the next bit. He
said gravity got in on the act and atoms clumped together to form stars. These clumped together to
form galaxies and groups of galaxies. And thats it. Next step formation of the Solar System, evolution
of life on Earth
culminating in the near perfect specimen of humanity you see before you. And mobile phones.
Salviati: You dont understand evolution but thats another issue. Did the programme not say anything
about Supernovae and why near perfect specimens such as yourself have heavy elements in them?
Simplicio: He prattled on about us all being stardust but by that time Id assumed he was bonkers
anyway.
Salviati: OK. So what exactly dont you accept?
Simplicio: I dont think I accept any of it. Not only does it all sound nonsense, I cant see the point of it.
(Looking up as his wife, Sally enters) Hi Sally, youre just in time to hear me having a moan about the
state of the Universe. Im explaining why I hated that programme last night.
Sally: I thought it was quite good, but I didnt understand too much.
Simplicio: Well, our friend will explain all.
Salviati: Yes, but what are your problems?
Simplicio: First. Its impossible. You cant just create matter out of nothing.
Salviati: Oh yes you can.
Simplicio: But theres no proof. We dont see galaxies flying away from each other.
Salviati: Well actually we do. .. 1
Sally: Well perhaps we can observe this red-shift, but does this show that more distant galaxies are
moving away from us more quickly than nearer galaxies.

AS Science In Society 1.10

Student sheets

Simplicio: Hang on, why should further galaxies be moving more quickly?
Salviati: Let me try to answer both questions. .. 2
Sally: OK, so more distant galaxies are moving away more quickly, but this doesnt mean that there was
a Big Bang wheres the evidence for that?
Simplicio: I know isnt that something about microwave ovens?
Salviati: No. Not microwave ovens. Microwaves.
Simplicio: Same thing. Weve got a microwave in our kitchen.
Sally: No we havent, weve got a microwave oven. They produce microwaves.
Simplicio: Who cares. So is there any evidence for a Big Bang?
Salviati: Yes. Listen .. 3
Sally: I dont understand why you think its so important that Penzias and Wilson made this discovery
without knowing what it was.
Salviati: Well, it gave independent support to the theory. You cant argue that Penzias and Wilson were
trying to prove anything.
Simplicio: Would it have mattered if they were trying to prove anything?
Salviati: Reasonable point surprising from you. This is what I think .. 4
Sally: So whats going to happen now?
Simplicio: Im going to get another drink.
Sally: No, I mean, whats the future for the universe.
Salviati: Well, theres a question. .. 5
Sally: Thanks. I feel sort of clearer know.
Simplicio: Thanks. Id feel depressed if I thought it mattered.