Universe 101 Reading Packet

1. This word describes the universe’s size in the beginning.
4. The color of a wave of light depends entirely on its ___________________. Red has the longest and violet has the shortest.
7. This type of galaxy gets its name from its characteristic swirling shape. Our galaxy has this very common shape.
9. Any element other than hydrogen or helium is considered to be a ________________.
11. The most basic and abundant element in our universe.
14. This scientific theory states that the universe began very hot and dense and has expanded out from a tiny point. It also states that the universe is expanding still.
17. Red-shifted starlight data, cosmic background radiation, and the distribution of elements throughout the universe are the three major pieces of _______________ that confirm the Big Bang Theory.
18. leftover energy from the big bang that is spread uniformly throughout the universe.
19. Red-shifted starlight data indicates that our universe is ___________________.
20. The combination of all matter and energy, whether on Earth or in outer space, makes up the _______________.
22. If the universe were collapsing you would expect to see this when you analyzed the starlight from distant galaxies.
23. When light gets divided up into its wavelengths you call it a _________________. The visible light ________________ is an example.
24. An acronym representing the visible light spectrum from red to violet.

2. Everything we know about stars we know from analyzing that star's __________.
3. This is the name of our galaxy.
5. each element has a unique fingerprint or barcode which you can see when the element is viewed through one of these special tools.
6. A large collection of stars held together by gravity.
8. This type of galaxy can come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, there is no one set shape or size. Another name for it would be “uncommon.”
10. This type of galaxy gets its name from its characteristic oval shape.
12. The end of a star’s life that both makes the heaviest elements on the periodic table and sends elements scattered across the universe to be recycled.
13. This is the name of the life stage of a star that is currently fusing hydrogen into helium in its core. This is the longest stage of any star’s life cycle.
15. This process occurs in the core of stars and involves two or more elements fusing together to create a new element. This process releases a lot of energy in the process.
16. If the universe were expanding you would expect to see this when you analyzed the starlight from distant galaxies.
21. These objects are giant “nuclear furnaces” that burn throughout the universe. These objects are powered by the nuclear fusion that takes place in their core.