DIFFERENT HYPOTHESES

ON THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

Origin of the Universe

● Approximately 14 billion years ago, nothing existed.
● Black void space
● All matter and energy are compressed in a space about the point of
a needle.

Different Theories
1. Creationism 4. Oscillating Universe
2. Big Bang Theory 5. Plasma Universe
3. Steady-State Universe 6. Eternal Inflation

1. Creationism
○ Biblical Theory
○ The universe was created by a "Supreme Being"
○ Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the
Earth."

2. Big Bang Theory

○ George Lemaitre, 1920s
○ Random fluctuation of a subatomic particle that exploded
○ Created the universe with an imaginably huge size

3. Steady-State Theory
○ Fred Hoyle, 1940s
○ The universe is not only uniform in space but is also unchanging in
time.
○ The density of matter is constant over time; matter is continuously
and spontaneously created.

4. Eternal Inflation
○ Happened after Big Bang
○ The rapid expansion of the universe is called inflation.
○ Has been going on and never stopped expanding.
5. Oscillating Universe
○ Cyclic model
○ An endless occurrence of explosions or Big Bang
○ Followed by contraction (Big Crunches) of the universe to repeat the
cycle.

6. Plasma Universe
○ Hannes Alfven
○ 99% of the universe is made up of plasma
○ The Big Bang never happened; the universe is a crisscross of electric
current and magnetic field.

THEORY DESCRIPTION
Creationism the universe was created by a "Supreme Being"

Big Bang the universe was created by a random fluctuation of a

subatomic particle that exploded

Steady-State The universe is not only uniform in space but is also

unchanging in time, thus, it is continuously created

Eternal Inflation the universe is undergoing a rapid expansion called "inflation"

that has been going on and never stopped expanding

Oscillation Universe consists of a cyclic model because of the endless occurrences

of explosions or big bang. This is followed by a contraction of
the universe called "Big Crunches" in order for the cycle to
repeat.

Plasma Universe the universe is a crisscross of huge electric current and

gigantic magnetic field.

DIFFERENT HYPOTHESES
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Origin of the Solar System

● Approximately 4.6 billion years ago
 TWO GENERAL HYPOTHESIS
1. Catastrophic or Unnatural Events
2. Natural and Continuous Process

1. Catastrophic/ Unnatural Events

* Random Capture Hypothesis
➔ The sun's gravity ''captures'' flying or nearby planets that were
formed independently.
➔ These planets would later be differentiated to become the
present-day planets.
Problems
❖ It happens rarely.
❖ It cannot explain how asteroids, comets, and other objects were
formed.

* Fission Theory
➔ Planets and other objects in the solar system are products of the
sun's explosion.
➔ Moons or satellites came from the planets.
Problems
❖ Failed to explain the arrangement of planets and other objects.
❖ The rocks and materials of the planets and their moons are also
different in composition and structure.

* Collision Theory
➔ Planets, stars, and other objects collided.
➔ The products of the collision are now the planets and other objects
in the solar system.
Problems
 ❖ Rare occurrence.
❖ Stars are made up of gases and when a collision happens, they
will expand.
❖ Failed to explain many characteristics of the solar system.

* Encounter Hypothesis
➔ When a star passes close to the sun, several materials from that
star and the sun are removed.
➔ Lumps were formed and became planets
➢ less dense materials-inner planets
➢ more dense materials-outer planets
Problems
❖ Rare occurrence
❖ Stars are made up of gases and when this happens, the gases will
expand, and not contract to form lumps.

2. Natural and Continuous Processes

* Nebular Hypothesis
➔ NEBULA- a large cloud of dirt and gasses
➔ The nebula collapsed due to the gravitational force of the nebula
and the pressure exerted by the gasses.
➔ As it collapsed, the nebula rotated and flattened at the poles
Evidence of the Nebular Hypothesis.
➔ All planets and most of its satellites revolve around the sun in the
same direction. This supports the idea of a rotating disc as an
origin of the solar system.
➔ The outer planets are denser and have hydrogen, unlike inner
planets that are less dense and have more helium. Other planets
are also more massive.

* Solar Nebular Disk Model

➔ Stars are formed after giant molecular clouds which result in the
coalesce of clumps.
➔ Planets were then formed as a product of star formation.

* Protoplanet hypothesis
➔ Infused most of the tenets of the protoplanet hypothesis.
➔ Supported by modern knowledge about fluid dynamics, chemistry,
and astronomy.
 RECOGNIZING THE UNIQUE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARTH

Solar System
● Composed of several planets, asteroids, comets, satellites and the
sun.
● EARTH: the only planet where life exists.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARTH

★ Atmosphere
➢ Unique in composition and structure
➢ Conducive for life existence
➢ With oxygen and carbon
➢ Ozone layer
-protects the earth from the UV radiation from the sun.
➢ Protects the earth from meteoroids and asteroids

★ Water
➢ Allows life to exist
➢ Water is renewable and it flows in a natural cycle.

★ Location in the Solar System

➢ Located in the habitable zone
 ➢ The distance of the planet from the sun can define its physical
characteristics
➢ Earth is not too close to the sun
➢ Earth is not too far from the sun

★ Magnetism
➢ The magnetic field provides protection against solar winds
➢ Solar winds can break the ozone layer

★ Life Forms
➢ Earth is the only place where life form exists
➢ Six different types: bacteria. Archaea, fungi, protists, plants, and
animals.

SUBSYSTEMS
OF THE EARTH

THE FOUR SUBSYSTEMS OF THE EARTH

★ GEOSPHERE
➢ The solid portion of the Earth
➢ INCLUDES:
-Landforms -Rocks and minerals
-Landmasses -Layers
-Plates

○ Landforms
* Volcanoes
* Mountains
* Islands and Archipelagos
* Canyons * Plateaus
* Peninsula * Valleys
* Hills * Plain

○ Landmasses

* Earth is composed of several landmasses called CONTINENTS

* CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY by ALFRED WEGENER

-supercontinent PANGAEA, surrounded by an ocean called

PANTHALASSA
-two supercontinents: LAURASIA and GONDWANALAND
* PRESENT-DAY CONTINENTS:
ᐅ South America
ᐅ Asia
ᐅ Europe
ᐅ Australia
ᐅ Antarctica
ᐅ Africa
ᐅ North America

○ Plates
* Earth’s surface is composed of plates
* Plates move due to plate tectonics
* Plates interact with each other
* Major Plates:
ᐅ African
ᐅ North American
ᐅ Antarctica
ᐅ South American
ᐅ Pacific
ᐅ Euroasian

* Minor Plates:
ᐅ Nazca Plate
ᐅ Philippine Sea
Plate

○ Rocks and Minerals

* Rocks are solid aggregates of minerals

* Types of Rocks:
ᐅ Metamorphic
ᐅ Igneous
ᐅ Sedimentary

* Minerals are naturally occurring substances formed on the Earth.

ᐅ Examples: Gold, quartz, and diamond

 ○ Layers
* Layers of the Earth

ᐅ Crust ᐅ Core
ᐅ Mantle

* SOIL
-The topmost layer of the crust
-Has organic matter, living organisms, rocks, and minerals
-Important medium for life existence, biogeochemical cycles,
and natural phenomena.

★ ATMOSPHERE

➢ A blanket of gases that cover the earth

➢ Atmos which means “gas” and Sphaira which means “globe or ball”
➢ Composed of:
* Argon (0.9%)
* Nitrogen (78%)
* Other gases (0.1%)
* Oxygen (21%)

➢ LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE:

-Troposphere -Thermosphere
-Stratosphere -Exosphere
-Mesosphere

○ Troposphere
* First layer
* 75% of the earth’s atmosphere
* Where weather happens
* The top of the troposphere is the tropopause
* Temperature: 15 degrees Celsius to 57 degrees Celsius.
* Where all clouds form

○ Stratosphere
* Located above the tropopause
* 10-50km from the earth’s surface
* The top part is called Stratopause
* Contains the ozone layer
* No turbulence
* Temperature: -57 degrees Celsius to -5 degrees Celsius
 ○ Mesosphere

* Located above the stratopause

* Around 50-80km from the earth’s surface
* Cold and thick
* Burns meteors and other objects entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
* Temperature decreases in the mesosphere with altitude.

○ Thermosphere
* Located above the mesopause
* Around 80km from the Earth’s surface
* High energy X-rays and UV radiation from the sun.
* Gases are arranged horizontally based on mass
* Temperature: 1,727 degree Celsius
* Satellites and International Space Station are found in this layer.

○ Exosphere

○ Uppermost layer
○ Considered outer space
○ The atmosphere is extremely thin with gases like hydrogen and
helium

IMPORTANCE OF THE ATMOSPHERE

ᐅ Blocks solar winds through the magnetosphere

ᐅ Protects the earth from falling meteoroids and other bodies
ᐅ Blocks the harmful UV radiation of the Sun
ᐅ Traps heat to maintain global temperature
ᐅ Weather and climate conditions happen due to the atmosphere
ᐅ Temperature, precipitation, humidity, or wind velocity
ᐅ Wind patterns or movements

★ HYDROSPHERE

➢ The liquid part of the earth

➢ Comprises ¾ of the earth’s surface
➢ Mainly composed of water
➢ COMPOSITION OF WATER:

* Composed of 2 hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom

* Odorless, colorless, and tasteless
 * Water molecules are linked together through a hydrogen bond

➢ FORMS OF WATER:
* Ice
* Liquid water
* Water vapor

➢ TYPES OF WATER

1. Saltwater (97%)

* High salinity
* Found in oceans and seas

2. Freshwater (3%)

* Safe for human consumption

* Found in polar regions (69%) and in aquifers, other bodies of
freshwater (21%)

➢ SOURCES OF WATER:

* Bodies of Water: * Bodies of Water in

Landforms:
ᐅ Oceans
ᐅ River
ᐅ Seas
ᐅ Streams
ᐅ Gulfs
ᐅ Waterfalls
ᐅ Bays
ᐅ Lakes
ᐅ Straits

* Groundwater:

ᐅ The main source of freshwater

ᐅ Stored in an aquifer-underground layer of freshwater

IMPORTANCE OF THE HYDROSPHERE

ᐅ Provide water which is essential to all organisms

ᐅ Has economic importance because of its industrial uses
ᐅ Serves as habitat and nourishment for many organisms
ᐅ Weather and climate conditions involve the hydrosphere
ᐅ Precipitation, typhoons, snow, and similar events involve water
ᐅ Allows many biochemical cycles

★ BIOSPHERE
➢ The subsystem of the earth where life exists
 ➢ Where organisms live and interact with their environment or various
components of other subsystems
➢ Totality of biodiversity
➢ LEVEL OF BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION:

* Population- a group of organisms of the same species.

* Community- group of different populations.
* Ecosystem-group of different communities interacting with the
environment
* Biosphere-combination of all ecosystems

➢ THREE DOMAINS OF ORGANISMS:

* Archaea
* Bacteria
* Eukarya

ᐅ Pathogenic, decomposers
○ DOMAIN ARCHAEA
or photosynthetic
ᐅ Prokaryotic
ᐅ Unicellular
ᐅ Can live in extreme ᐅ BIOMES
environments
* Biological communities
* Methanogens with distinct climate,
* Halophiles geographical location,
* Thermophiles biodiversity and physical
characteristics.
○ DOMAIN EUKARYA

ᐅ Most diverse domain

ᐅ Includes all eukaryotes * Two Types of Biomes:
ᐅ Four type:
1. Terrestrial Biomes
* Protists 2. Aquatic Biomes
* Fungi
1. TERRESTRIAL BIOMES
* Plants
* Animals a. Tropical Rain Forest
○ DOMAIN BACTERIA
● Warm all year
ᐅ Microscopic ● Many animals and huge
ᐅ Prokaryotic number of trees
ᐅ Can live everywhere b. Grassland
● Plains or prairie
● Short to tall grasses with
no trees
● Gets enough rain
c. Desert
● Dry environment
● Low species diversity and
precipitation
● Hottest biomes but can
also cold temperature in
winter
● Plants and animals must
be able to withstand long
periods without water
d. Chaparral
● Composed of shrubs and
bushes
● Located in temperate
regions
● Hot-dry summer and mild
and rainy winters
● Soils in chaparral are dry
and rocky
e. Tundra
● Located in temperate and
polar regions
● Flat and cold with low
plants.
● Grass and moss only
grow during the short
time of summer
● Permafrost
f. Savannas
● Grassland with scattered
trees.
● Enough seasonal rainfall
● Dominated by flock or
herds of animals
g. Taiga
● Made up of
conical-shaped
evergreen trees
● Has long cold winters
h. Coniferous Forest
● Have cold, long snowy
winters
● Warm humid summer
● 4-6 frost-free months
● Consists mostly of
conifers
i. Temperatre Deciduous
Forest
● Located in the
mild-latitude areas
● Hot summers and cold
winters
● Four seasons
● Different kind of trees,
shrubs and herbs
j. Mangrove Forest
● Most abundant aquatic
biomes
● Composed of mangrove
trees
2. AQUATIC BIOMES
a. Freshwater
● Low concentration of salt
● Most ponds, streams,
lakes and rivers
b. Marine
● Largest biome
 ● 5 major oceans form another type called
● Has high level of salt brackish water.
c. Coral Reefs ● High in nutrients
● Rich in diversity
e. Intertidal Zones
● Organisms are the corals
which are cnidarians that ● Areas along the coast
sustain aquatic ● Changing environmental
communities conditions due to effects
d. Estuaries of tidal activities

● Rivers and streams

merge with the saltwater
from seas or ocean to

IMPORTANCE OF BIOSPHERE

ᐅ Unique characteristic of earth

ᐅ Essential in many biogeochemical cycles and natural processes
ᐅ Affects other subsystems
ᐅ Home to the human population