P1 Revision Booklet

Universe

Hard (Grade B-A*)

Q1.          The ‘Big Bang’ theory is one theory of the origin of the Universe.
(a)     (i)     Explain what is meant by the ‘Big Bang’ theory.
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(2)

(ii)     The light arriving from distant galaxies provides scientists with evidence to support the ‘Big Bang’ theory.
Explain how.
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(2)

(b)     At a meeting held in 2005, a group of scientists claimed that new data had been collected that showed the ‘Big Bang’ theory to be wrong. Other scientists said that there was no reason to doubt the ‘Big Bang’ theory.
What should scientists do when a theory does not appear to be supported by new data?
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(2)

(c)     Scientists can answer many questions about the Universe, but not the question:

Suggest a reason why this question cannot be answered by scientists.
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(1)
(Total 7 marks)
 Q2.          (a)    The ‘Big Bang’ theory uses red-shift as evidence to explain the beginning of the Universe.
How does the red-shift from distant galaxies provide evidence for the beginning of the Universe?
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(3)

(b)     Cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) is a type of electromagnetic radiation. CMBR fills the Universe. It was first discovered in 1965 by two astronomers called Penzias and Wilson.
(i)     What do scientists believe is the origin of CMBR?
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(1)

(ii)     Why was the discovery of CMBR so important to the scientists believing the ‘Big Bang’ theory to be correct?
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(1)

(iii)     How is the wavelength of CMBR likely to change, if at all, over the next billion years?
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Give a reason for your answer.
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(2)
(Total 7 marks)
Q3.        (a)      As part of its life cycle, a star changes from being a protostar to a main sequence star.
Explain the difference between a protostar and a main sequence star.
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(2)

(b)     The early Universe contained only atoms of hydrogen. The Universe now contains atoms of over one hundred different elements.
Explain how the different elements now contained in the Universe were formed.
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(3)
(Total 5 marks)
Q4.          (a)     The light spectrum from a distant galaxy shows a red shift.
          What is meant by red shift and what does it tell us about distant galaxies?
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(2)

(b)     What name is given to the theory that the Universe started with a massive explosion?
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(1)
(Total 3 marks)
 Q5.          The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum from a star includes a dark line. This line is at a specific wavelength. The diagram shows the position of the dark line in the spectrum from the Sun and in the spectrum from a distant galaxy.

(a)     Explain how the spectrum ‘shift’ of the dark line supports the theory that the Universe began from a very small point.
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(3)

(b)     From data collected, a graph can be drawn that links the speed of a galaxy with the distance of the galaxy from the Earth.

(i)      How does the visible light spectrum from galaxy A look different from the visible light spectrum from galaxy B?
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(1)

(ii)     A third galaxy, C, seems to be travelling away from the Earth at about 60 000 km/s.
         Estimate how far galaxy C might be from the Earth, showing how you use the graph to do this.
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Distance between galaxy C and the Earth = …………….… million light years
(2)
(Total 6 marks)
 Q6.          The ‘steady state’ theory was once a popular alternative to the ‘big bang’ theory.
The ‘steady state’ theory suggested that the universe, although expanding, had no origin and it has always existed. As the universe expands, a small amount of matter is created to keep the universe looking exactly the same all of the time.
(a)     When considering the origin of the universe, what is the difference between the ‘big bang’ theory and the ‘steady state’ theory?
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(2)

(b)     The light from distant galaxies shows a red-shift.

(i)      What is red-shift?
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(1)

(ii)     Why does red-shift provide evidence to support both the ‘big-bang’ theory and the ‘steady state’ theory?
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(2)

(c)     The ‘steady state’ theory was important in encouraging new research into the universe.
Suggest a reason why scientists were keen to carry out new research.
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(1)

(d)     Scientists can answer many questions about the universe, but not the question:
‘Why was the universe created?’
Suggest a reason why this question cannot be answered by scientists.
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(1)
(Total 7 marks)
 Q7.The flowchart shows a simple version of the life cycle of a star that is much more massive than the Sun.

(a)     What causes the change from Stage X to Stage Y?
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(1)

(b)     For most of its time in Stage Y, the star is stable.
Explain why the star remains stable.
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(2)

(c)     (i)      Explain how a star is able to produce energy in Stage Y.
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(2)

(ii)     Why is a star in Stage Y able to give out energy for millions of years?
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(1)

(d)     What happens to the elements produced in a supernova?
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(1)
(Total 7 marks)
 Q8.Optical telescopes may be used to observe galaxies. Some optical telescopes are on the Earth and some are on satellites in space.
(a)     How is the image produced by an optical telescope on a satellite in space better than the image produced by an optical telescope on the Earth?
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Give a reason for your answer.
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(2)

(b)     Scientists have observed that the wavelengths of the light from galaxies moving away from the Earth are longer than expected. This observation is called red-shift.
(i)      What does the size of the red-shift tell the scientists about the distance a galaxy is from the Earth?
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(1)

(ii)     Complete the following passage.
Red-shift provides evidence to support the ‘big bang’ theory. The ‘big bang’ theory is
one of the ways of explaining the ....................................... of the Universe.
(1)
(Total 4 marks)
 Q9.The diagram, drawn below, places stars in one of four groups.
Where a star is placed on the diagram is determined by the surface temperature and relative luminosity of the star.
A star with a relative luminosity of 1, emits the same amount of energy every second as the Sun.

(a)     The Sun will spend most of its life cycle as a main sequence star. This is the stable period of the Sun’s life cycle.
What happens to cause the stable period in the life cycle of a star to end?
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(1)

(b)     Use the information in the diagram to describe what will happen to the Sun after the stable period ends.
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(3)
(Total 4 marks)
Q10.          The visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum from a star includes a dark line. This line is at a specific wavelength.
The diagram shows the position of the dark line in the spectrum from the Sun and in the spectrum from a distant galaxy.

(a)     Explain how the spectrum ‘shift’ of the dark line supports the theory that the Universe began from a very small initial point.
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(3)

(b)     Name one other piece of evidence that supports the theory that the Universe began from a very small initial point.
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(1)
(Total 4 marks)
Universe-Mark scheme
M1.         (a)      (i)     Universe began at a (very) small (initial) point
‘it’ refers to Universe
1

‘explosion’ sent matter outwards
or
‘explosion’ causing Universe to expand
accept gas / dust for matter
accept rapid expansion for explosion
1

(ii)     light shows a red shift
owtte
the term red shift on its own does not score a mark
1

galaxies moving away (from the Earth)
‘it’ refers to light
‘they’ refers to galaxies
accept star for galaxy
do not accept planet for galaxy
1

(b)     check reliability / validity of data
accept check data
accept collect more data
1

amend theory
or
discount the data
accept replace old theory with new theory
1

(c)     answer involves (religious) belief
or
no / insufficient evidence
accept it cannot be tested
1
[7]
 M2.         (a)      any three from:
•        red-shift shows galaxies are moving away (from each other / the Earth)
•        more distant galaxies show bigger red-shift
        or
         more distant galaxies show a greater increase in wavelength
accept correct reference to frequency in place of wavelength
•        (in all directions) more distant galaxies are moving away faster
accept (suggests) universe is expanding
•        suggests single point of origin (of the universe)
3

         (b)     (i)    (radiation produced shortly after) ‘Big Bang’
accept beginning of time / beginning of the universe for ‘Big Bang’
1

(ii)     any one from:
•        can only be explained by ‘Big Bang’
•        existence predicted by ‘Big Bang’
•        provides (further) evidence for ‘Big Bang’
ignore proves ‘Big Bang’ (theory)
ignore reference to red-shift
1

(iii)     increase
accept becomes radio waves
1

universe continues to accelerate outwards
accept as universe continues to expand
or
greater red-shift
1
[7]
M3.         (a)     a protostar is at a lower temperature
or
a protostar does not emit radiation /energy
1

as (nuclear) fusion reactions have not started
accept heat or light for energy
1

(b)     by (nuclear) fusion
accept nuclei fuse (together)
nuclear fusion and fission negates this mark
1

of hydrogen to helium
1

elements heavier than iron are formed in a supernova
accept a specific example e.g. heavier elements such as gold are formed in a supernova
accept heavier elements (up to iron) formed in red giant/red super giant
reference to burning (hydrogen) negates the first 2 marks
1
[5]
 
M4.          (a)     longer wavelength waves or light moved towards red end of spectrum
1
          (galaxy) moving away from the Earth or space is expanding or
the galaxy and Earth are moving apart
accept us for Earth
do not accept galaxies expanding
1

(b)     big bang
1
[3]

 M5.          (a)     line shifts towards red end of spectrum
do not accept reference to ‘red light’
do not accept ‘red shift’ as a stand alone response
1
wavelength (appears) to increase
1
galaxy is moving away (from the
Earth)                                                                                                                  
do not accept universe expanding
or galaxy moving away from initial point
do not accept planet on its own
1

(b)     (i)      light from A has a greater red shift
accept light from A is more red
do not accept reference to blue light
1
(ii)     3600 (million light years)
allow 1 mark for showing that the line
could be extended
or
allow 1 mark for the correct use of a point on the line
2
[6]
 M6.          (a)     big bang theory – universe started at one point (then expanded)
1
          steady state theory – universe has no origin / has always existed
accept an answer in terms of mass
eg steady state theory mass is created
1

(b)     (i)      wavelength (of light) increases
accept answers in terms of frequency decrease
accept wavelength stretched but not wave stretched
         or wavelength / light moves to red end of spectrum
do not accept galaxy moves to the red end of the spectrum
do not accept light becomes red / redder
1

(ii)     red-shift is evidence / supports idea of expanding universe
accept prove for support
1
         both theories use the idea / accept / explain why the universe is expanding
1

(c)     to find evidence to support one or both theories
accept prove for support
accept to gain more knowledge about the universe
          or to find evidence to disprove one or both theories
1

(d)     answer involves (religious) belief
accept it cannot be tested
          or no / insufficient evidence
1
[7]
M7.          (a)     gravitational attraction
accept ‘gravity’
accept (nuclear) fusion
1

(b)     radiation ‘pressure’ and gravity / gravitational attraction
must be in correct context
1

are balanced / in equilibrium
accept are equal and opposite
do not accept ‘equal’
orthere is sufficient / a lot of hydrogen / fuel
do not accept constant supply of hydrogen
to last a very long time / for (nuclear) fusion
this mark only scores if linked to the supply of hydrogen / fuel
reference to burning negates both marks
1

(c)     (i)      (conversion of) hydrogen to helium
accept (conversion of) lighter elements to heavier elements
1

by (nuclear) fusion
note do not credit spelling of ‘fusion’ which could be ‘fission’
reference to burning negates both marks
1

(ii)     massive supply / lots of hydrogen
1

(d)     distributed throughout the Universe / space
do not accept Solar System for Universe
1
[7]
 M8.         (a)     clearer / more detailed / sharper / less distorted image
image is better is insufficient
1

ignore image is bigger
any one from:
•        no light pollution
accept no clouds to prevent observations
•        light is not scattered by the atmosphere
accept air for atmosphere
accept (image) not distorted by the atmosphere
accept (light) does not have to pass through the atmosphere
do not accept in terms of distance
1

(b)     (i)      bigger the red-shift, further the galaxy is from the Earth
accept red-shift and distance are directly proportional
accept there is a positive correlation
1

(ii)     origin / start / beginning / creation
accept expansion
1
[4]
M9.          (a)     runs out of hydrogen (in its core)
accept nuclear fusion slows down 
do not accept fuel for hydrogen
do not accept nuclear fusion stops
ignore reference to radiation pressure / unbalanced forces
1

(b)     temperature decreases / (relative)luminosity increases as it changes to a redgiant
if both temperature and luminosity are given both must be correct
1

temperature increases / (relative) luminosity decreases as it changes to awhite dwarf
if both temperature and luminosity are given both must be correct
1

correct change in temperature and (relative) luminosity as Sun changes to ared giant and then to a white dwarf
an answer changes to a red giant and then white dwarf with no mention or an incorrect mention of temperature or (relative) luminosity change gains 1 mark only if no other marks awarded
ignore correct or incorrect stages given beyond white dwarf
1
[4]
 M10.          (a)     the observed wavelength of the dark line from the distant
galaxy has increased
1
therefore the distant galaxy must be moving away from the Earth
1
suggesting the Universe is expanding outwards from a small
initial point
1

(b)     existence of cosmic microwave background radiation
accept existence of CMBR
1
[4]