GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 1. The Universe and the Solar System

Humankind has always been curious as to what makes up the universe and
how it was created. Countless theories have been put up to try to answer questions
regarding the nature and mysteries of the cosmos in an attempt to understand how the
universe began. Understanding how the universe began helps in learning about Earth,
its beginning, and its processes.
This chapter provides an overview on the origins of the universe and of the
earth, and relates how the unique characteristics of Earth are important in sustaining
life on the planet.

CONTENT STANDARD:
The learners demonstrate an understanding of:
 the formation of the universe and the solar system

PERFORMANCE STANDARD:
The learners shall be able to:
 Analyze the role of
a. the position of Erath in the Solar System
b. The size of Earth and the Sun, and
c. Earth’s axial tilt in affecting the evolution of the planet and
life on Earth.
 Create a model of the solar system in a creative way
In this module you will:
 Explain the origin of the Universe formed by the Big Bang Theory
 Compare the different hypothesis explaining the origin of the Solar system.
 Explain how solar system is formed.

Prepared by: SHEEN MAERIEL S. MONTEMAYOR

Subject Teacher 1
Pretest Time allotted: 5-10 minutes 8. Which planets are the largest ones in our solar system?

Directions: Read each question carefully. Encircle the letter of the correct answer. a. Venus and Earth c. Mars and Mercury
b. Saturn and Jupiter d. Neptune and Uranus

1. The following is/ are example(s) of celestial body(ies) 9. The asteroid belt is found in between the orbits of
a. Sun c. Stars
b. Moon d. All of the above a. Mars and Jupiter c. Jupiter and Saturn
b. Earth and Mars d. Saturn and Uranus
2. How many planets are there in the Solar System?
10. The following planet is called “dwarf planet”
a. 7 c. 9
b. 8 d. 10 a. Saturn c. Mars
b. Jupiter d. Pluto
3. The following planet is nearest to the sun.
11. The following is (are) true about Sun.
a. Mars c. Venus a. It is made up of gases
b. Mercury d. Saturn b. It has its own heat and light
c. Sun is a star
4. Which of these is the best way to describe our solar system? d. All of the above
a. It is a group of stars revolving around a single object 12. The correct ascending order of distance of planets from sun is
b. It is a group of objects revolving around a single star. a. Mars, Earth, Jupiter, Saturn
c. It is a single star revolving around a group of stars b. Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn
d. It is a single object revolving around a group of stars c. Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter
5. Moon is to planet as planet is to _______. d. Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Saturn

a. Orbit c. Sun 13. The following planet is considered as “Earth’s-Twin”

b. Neptune d. Dwarf planet a. Mars c. Venus
b. Mercury d. Saturn
6. If you passed between Mars and Jupiter, and saw an area with rocks of different
sizes floating through space together, what would the mostly likely be? 14. The following planet is known as blue planet.
a. Mars c. Venus
a. Comets c. planets b. Mercury d. Earth
b. Asteroids d. moons
15. The following planet has the most number of moons.
7. What makes Earth different to other planet?
a. Jupiter c. Uranus
a. It is the only planet known to have living things on it. b. Saturn d. Neptune
b. It is the only planet known to have liquid water on its surface
c. It is the only planet known to have air that safe for animals to breath
d. All of the above

3
2
STUDY TIME Time allotted: 55 minutes

The Solar
4 System 5

Theories on the Origin of the Universe

Our Solar System consists of our star, the Sun, and everything bound to it by gravity.
✘ What is universe?
✘ How did the Universe form? ✘ How did the solar system
✘ How big is the universe? form?
✘ How old is the Universe?
✘ How did everything as we
know it today, come into
being?
✘ How did everything in the
universe come to exist?

Humankind’s most understanding of the universe is built upon previous knowledge and Note: Click the link https://youtu.be/libKVRa01L8 or search the Solar System 101 | National
enhanced by integrating data acquired from latest technologies. Prior to the development of Geographic to have an overview to the lesson.
scientific theories, humans relied in religious cosmology to explain the origin of the universe

 The narrative from Genesis, one of the books of the Hebrew Bible and Christian
Old Testament, describe how God separated light from darkness, created the sky,
land, sea, moon, stars and every living creature in a span of six days.
 The Hindu text Rigueda describes the universe as an oscillating universe in
which a “cosmic egg” or Brahmanda containing the whole universe--- including
the sun, moon, planets and space expanded out of a single concentrated point
called Bindu, and will eventually collapse again.
 Greek Philosophers Leucippus and Democritus believed in an atomic universe.
They held that the universe was composed of very small, indivisible and
indestructible atoms. All of reality and all the objects in the universe are
composed of different arrangements of these eternal atoms and an infinite void in
which atoms from different combinations and shapes.

 Big Bang Theory states that the universe began as an incredibly
BIG hot, dense point roughly 13.7 billion years ago. It holds that our
universe began 13.7 billion years ago, in a massive expansion
BANG that blew space up like a balloon. The Big bang Theory is
attributed to Belgian Roman Catholic priest Georges Lemaitre in
THEORY 1927.
During the Eighteenth Century, the understanding of how the Solar System originated
became more than just descriptive models: it became scientific. The following theories
present the explanation on the Origin of the Solar System. It is important to note that these
theories build up on the idea of angular momentum. Angular momentum is the quantity of
rotation of a body, which is the product of its moment of inertia and its angular velocity.
 ACTIVITIES Time allotted: 30 minutes
1. Nebular Hypothesis or Solar Nebular Theory
When it comes to the formation of Solar System, the most widely accepted view #1. Direction: Watch the video https://youtu.be/GncYOf29uc4 | featuring the Big Bang
is known as the Nebular Hypothesis. Theory. After watching the video, draw and explain how the universe began in a long
 Immanuel Kant and Pierre-Simon Laplace were the first to propose the coupon bond.
earliest theory of how the Solar System originated.
 This theory states that the Sun, the planets and all the other objects in the You are graded through the rubriks below.
Solar System formed from nebulous material billions of years ago.
10pts 9pts 8pts 7pts 6pts 5pts
 According to this theory, the Sun and all the planets of our Solar System
The drawing The The The The The drawing
began as a giant cloud of molecular as and dust. Then about 4.57 billion
illustrated the drawing drawing drawing drawing didn’t
years ago, something happened that caused the cloud to collapse. As gravity
topic well and illustrated illustrated didn’t didn’t illustrated the
does with everything, it began to condense the gas into varying regions to
explained it the topic the topic illustrate illustrate the topic and
density. The denser regions began to grow into clumps of matter, which, over
accordingly. and but didn’t the topic topic and didn’t
the course of time, would be the seeds for the formation of our sun, planets,
explained explain it well. didn’t labelled it.
and the moons.
it. correctly. labelled it.
2. Planetesimal and Tidal Theories
 Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin and Forest Ray Moulton #2. Direction: Describe the Nebular Hypothesis and outline the sequence of events
within the nebula that gave rise to the planets.
 They proposed that a star passed close enough to the sun creating huge tides
and causing materials to be ejected. These smaller masses quickly cooled and
became numerous smaller bodies called planetisimal. You are graded through the rubriks below.

3. Protoplanet theory Category 10 8 5 3

 The protoplanet theory is a modified version of the nebular theory which Placed events in The outline The outline The outline The outline
incorporates modern knowledge of matter for med independently by chronological summary summary summary summary did
astronomers Gerald Kuiper and Cal von Weizsacker. The dense are of the order included all included most of included some not include any
nebula and the gaseous matter surrounding it ceased to rotate uniformly. events and they the vents and/or of the events events or they
Under the influence of turbulence and tidal action, the nebula broke into were in most were in and/or some were not in
whirlpools of gas within a rotating mass called protoplanet. chronological chronological were in chronological
4. Catastrophic Hypothesis order. order. chronological order.
order.
 Proposed that the planets formed from some improbable event such as
Identified main The outline The outline The outline The outline
the collision of the sun and another Star. idea for each summary summary summary summary did
 event included main included the included the not include the
5. Evolutionary Hypothesis ideas for each main idea for main idea for a main idea for
 Proposed that the planets are formed gradually and naturally as the sun event. most of the few events. any of the
formed events. events.

Remember/ Key Points

6 7
 • The observable universe is believed to be at least 93 billion light years in
diameter and is continuously expanding since the big bang, 13.8 billion years
ago.

• According to Big Bang theory, matter was not present in the beginning of
time; there was only pure energy compressed in an infinitely tiny, infinitely
dense point.
• The expansion of the singularity formed the fundamental forces and light, and
gave birth to galaxies and star systems as temperatures became cooler and
heavier elements were formed.
• The nebular hypothesis and protoplanet hypothesis suggest that the Solar
System started as dust-sized particles that accreted into the larger particles
which eventually become planets.

Post Test Time allotted: 30 minutes

Direction: CONSTRUCTURED-RESPONSE. Your answer will be graded through

the rubric below. (5 points each)

0 1 2 3 4 5
No Out of Needs Adequate Quality Exemplary
answer. this world improvement
answer. Test II. Match the following. Write the letter of the correct answer in the space
Test I. Critical Thinking. Answer the following.
provided. 8
No key Answers are Answers are Answers are Answers are 9
points. partial or not accurate comprehensive, 1.____1.
How Nebular
did everything as we know it today come
Hypothesis A. Theinto being?
solar system began as a cloud of
incomplete. comprehensiv and accurate and 2. Why is the Big Bang Theory the most accepted theory on the origin of nebula.
Key points e or complete. complete. Key dispersed interstellar gas called
are not clear. completely key points ideas are clearly the universe?
____2. Evolutionary Hypothesis B. Is a modified version of the nebular
Question not stated. Key are stated stated, theory which incorporates modern
adequately points are and explained and knowledge of matter for med
answered. addressed, supported. well supported.
but not well
independently by astronomers Gerald
supported. Kuiper and Cal Von Weizsacker.
____3. Catastrophic Hypothesis C. Proposed that the planets formed from
9
some improbable event such as the
collision of the sun and another star.
____4. Protoplanet theory D. Proposed that the planets are formed
gradually and naturally as the sun formed
____5. Planetesimal and Tidal Theories E. They proposed that a star passed close
 enough to the sun creating huge tides and
causing materials to be ejected. These
smaller masses quickly cooled and
became numerous smaller bodies called
planetisimal.
F. States that the universe began as an
incredibly hot, dense point roughly 13.7
billion years ago.
References
• Olivar III, J., Rodolfo, R., Cabria, H. (2016). Exploring Life Through Science
Series.Quezon Avenue, Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
• (2016) Earth Science. Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.
• https://youtu.be/GncYOf29uc4
• https://youtu.be/libKVRa01L8

10