Lab Activity: Big Bang Balloon!
Name: _____________________________________________________ Section: __________
PURPOSE:
1. To understand how the Big Bang Theory can be used to explain
the uneven distribution of matter in the universe.
2. To demonstrate how the Big Bang caused our universe to expand.
MATERIALS: balloon, two (2) different colors of paper confetti dots,
hole puncher, masking tape, string, ruler, meter stick, thick straw, pin.
PROCEDURE:
1. Your teacher will divide the room into zones. Each zone will be
labeled with a letter. A cross (“X”) of tape will mark the center of
all the zones.
2. Hole punch fifty (50) confetti dots of one color of paper, and fifty
five (55) confetti dots of the other color of paper.
3. Insert a thick straw into the opening of a balloon and deposit the
hole-punched paper dots through the straw and into the balloon.
4. Blow up the balloon and tie it closed. (Do not over inflate the
balloon!)
5. Measure the diameter of the inflated balloon. Record it below.
THE DIAMETER OF THE BALLOON IS: ________________ cm.
6. Tape the balloon to the ceiling above the center of the taped cross
(“X”).
>>> Each person will be assigned a zone (or two) on the floor
(marked with a letter).
MY ZONE IS MARKED WITH THE LETTER: ____________ ____________
7. Pop the balloon with a pin taped to a meter stick.
8. Each student will gather the hole-punched paper dots from their
zone into a pile.
9. Each student will separate their pile into two (2) smaller piles by
paper color.
10.
Each student will record the DATA in a date table (on the
next page) by taping their dots into the correct area.
11.
Measure the new diameter of the dots on the floor.
THE NEW DIAMETER OF THE DOTS IS: _______________ cm.
12.
Using the floor grid provided, record the number of dots of
each paper type found in each zone in the whole classroom.
DATA TABLE: (Tape your dots from the floor into the table below.)
Paper Color:
Paper Color:
WHITE
PINK
Tape your dots here:
Tape your dots here:
Total number of dots = _______________
Total number of dots = ________________
Number of balloon pieces in your zone = ___________________
QUESTIONS:
1. What do the two (2) colors of paper confetti dots represent in this model?
2. What does the balloon represent in this model?
3. What does the popping of the balloon represent in this model?
4. What does the floor represent in this model?
5. Question: In what way did this activity show that the universe is expanding?
6. Question: State a few ways in which this activity models the Big Bang Theory.
7. Using the floor grid provided, record the paper distribution in each zone.
Question: What distribution trends do you notice?
BIG BANG BALLOON - FLOOR GRID DATA:
M
N
O
P
Q
L
C
D
E
R
K
B
A
F
S
J
I
H
G
T
Y
X
W
V
U