How Did the Universe Start？
Are you looking for an easy way to teach your child about space? We’ve put together a set of free materials that parents and teachers can use right away. In this lesson, your child will dive into the fascinating world of the universe.
We’ll explore the origin and ongoing expansion of the universe. Explore science in a more engaging way with captivating 3D videos and interactive quizzes. Download our app to get started!
Table of Contents
What You Will Learn from This Lesson
- The universe began from a singularity.
- The universe contains space, time, matter, and energy.
- The universe has expanded since the Big Bang.
What Caused the Big Bang?
The universe is estimated to be 13.8 billion years old. It is thought to have begun with an event known as the Big Bang. Before the universe existed, there was a singularity, which was smaller than a grain of sand and contained all space, time, and energy. About 13.8 billion years ago, this singularity rapidly expanded, giving birth to the universe.
What Is the Universe Made Of?
The universe is defined as all of space, time, and all the matter and energy in space. All the stars, planets, and other celestial bodies that we can observe make up only a tiny fraction of the entire universe. The vast majority of the universe—about 95%—is made up of unobservable dark matter and mysterious dark energy.
When Did Everything Form?
The universe has been expanding ever since the Big Bang and continues to expand today. During this continuous expansion, celestial bodies gradually formed and organized into galaxies. The history of the universe can be visualized using a “Cosmic Calendar,” condensing the 13.8 billion years into a single year. On this calendar, the Big Bang happened on January 1st, our Milky Way Galaxy formed in May, and our sun and Earth were born in September. The first humans appeared on the very last day of the year.
Fun Fact
- Stars, planets, and all the celestial bodies we see are only 5% of the universe.
- The universe is still expanding and getting bigger every moment.
- If the universe’s history were a year-long calendar, the Sun and Earth would have formed in September
Vocabulary
- Universe: All of space, time, and all the matter and energy in space. The universe is thought to have begun 13.8 billion years ago with the Big Bang.
- Big Bang: An event that happened about 13.8 billion years ago when a tiny singularity rapidly expanded, leading to the birth of the universe.
- Singularity: A point that existed before the universe was born, which was infinitely small and contained all the energy, space, and time.
- Dark Matter: An invisible substance that, along with dark energy, makes up about 95% of the entire universe.
- Dark Energy: A mysterious, invisible component that makes up a large part of the universe, which we currently cannot observe.
- Expanding: The ongoing activity of the universe where space is continuously stretching, and celestial bodies are moving farther apart.
- Milky Way Galaxy: Our home galaxy, which formed in early May on the Cosmic Calendar.