HowTo: How to Explain Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation to a Precocious 10-year-old?

[youreavinalaff]

On 2/29/2024 at 2:52 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Excuse me, Mr. C., however, I think this suggestion of yours is just far too dumbed down for my super-smart 10-year-old Chinese students.

 

How long has it been since you taught a precocious 10-year-old?

 

Over a generation ago, at least, I would imagine.

 

And, since that time, the Flynn Effect, which I am sure you know something about, has proven true, once more.

 

Children, especially in China, are getting smarter, by the generation.

 

So, Mr. C., maybe there truly is hope for the future, for the future of these smart children, and I hope so.

 

Every day, I am amazed at just how smart some of these children truly are.

And, as I say, their understanding of the world, and their ability to do insightful analysis of their reality, is FAR and Away, beyond what I recall was typical of most children when I was growing up.

 

But, of course, there were some kids, like Chomsky, back in the day, who were smarter than the kids, these days.

 

Still, Nim Chimpsky was the exception.

And, he remains the exception at age 95.

 

Chinese students are amazing.

They can stay focused in class for 90 minutes, and think nothing of it.

 

The Asians are taking over the Natural Sciences at American universities.

While, the Americans are escaping into the Social Sciences because they are easy.

 

Don't take my word for it.

 

IF a Chinese eight-year-old can stay completely focused in class, for 60 minutes, then you know that it will be the Asians who will do the very hard work in American universities.

 

There are no better students than the young Chinese students.

 

Wait an see.....

 

I am just paraphrasing Richard Smalley, of Rice University.

 

Don't blame me, Mr. C.

 

Gamma....

 

 

 

That explains everything. The kids are smarter than the you. That's why you are on hear getting advice. 

[thaibeachlovers]

On 2/29/2024 at 12:01 PM, GammaGlobulin said:

What do you think might be the best way to explain the concept of INFINITY to a 10-year-old?

For a start, the universe is finite. Everything composed of matter ends, eventually.

 

That must be a very strange 10 year old to even be serious about it, and perhaps they are not serious about it, just curious.

 

IMO any attempt to explain it will be too complicated for a 10 year old. Try diversion.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 2/29/2024 at 7:48 PM, ABCDBKK said:

here's the kicker: the universe isn't just a playground, it's also a timeline, with a beginning, a middle, and, well, maybe an end.

Given that all matter degrades, and ceases to function, eventually, there must be an end, though my take is that black holes consume all the matter and compress it into the next Big Bang.

I could be wrong and this universe just dies and dead planets keep expanding into infinity.

I'd rather believe in constant renewal, at least till the universe creates an actually intelligent species.

 

As for Gamma, just take the kid to a planetarium.

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 2/29/2024 at 6:01 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

HowTo: How to Explain Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation to a Precocious 10-year-old? 

There are lots of educational websites on the internet for different age groups 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Given that all matter degrades, and ceases to function, eventually,

 

Are you, by chance, referring to....

 

ENTROPY?

 

 

[nikmar]

On 2/29/2024 at 11:44 AM, sirineou said:

Hint, Penzias , Willson ,  Background Noise 

 

Wasnt that in the 40's? Im not too sure. 

 

I think the general idea of a big bang was being kicked around in the 20s by a Lemaitre (Belgian???).

 

i vaguely remember reading something like this.

[jippytum]

download Breaking Bad to her ipad. 

A few chemistry lessons from Walter White will do the trick. 

[parallelman]

Plenty of good books for children, 4-8, 8-12 year olds and so on.

'For example, when a 10-year-old looks at this image, in fact, he/she is actually looking at the very edge of our universe.'

It's the 'known' universe and not the edge of 'the universe'. There could be a lot more out there but the light from it will never reach us. There are various scenario theoretical endings so the answer to that is 'we don't know'. But before answering a child you'd better know some Quantum Physics and Einstein's two theories of Relativity too. If you don't, then I' suggest you start reading or...as above, buy the child some books.🙂

[wombat]

Simply say ask your teacher.

Problem solved.

[In Full Agreement]

On 2/29/2024 at 7:22 AM, sirineou said:

Start by understanding it yourself

 

 

You must mean TRYING  TO UNDERSTAND IT.

[IsaanT]

Imagine a really, really big number. So big that you can't even imagine how big it is. Now, imagine a number that's even bigger than that. And then another number bigger than that. You can keep going on and on, making the numbers bigger and bigger forever.

 

That's infinity. It's a number that's so big that it's impossible to count to the end. It's like a never-ending journey. No matter how far you go, there's always more to explore.

[harryviking]

Why waste the time! Just wait a few years when the kids understand the moon, planets and galaxies! Then try!

Trying to explain the background radiation to a 10 year old could be like trying to explain Einstein's theories before they understand math! It will NOT sink in! 🤪

[MarkBR]

On 2/29/2024 at 6:01 AM, GammaGlobulin said:

What do you think might be the best way to explain the concept of INFINITY to a 10-year-old?

 

And, when the 10-year-old asks about the Universe, and the beginnings of the Universe, as well as the end of our Universe, then how do you explain this image:

 

 

 

This concept of the beginnings of the Cosmos, and the final end of our Universe, is not so easy for a young person to grasp.

 

Therefore, what might be the best way to present these concepts of infinity and the end of the universe...to....a....

10-year-old?

 

====

 

For example, when a 10-year-old looks at this image, in fact, he/she is actually looking at the very edge of our universe.

And so, how does a good teacher explain this image in terms which can be understood by a young person?

 

From my experience, kids just think that this image is something....IMAGINARY....even though this is a real image.

 

Any help with this?

 

Thank you.

 

Gamma

 

 

 

 

This is not so easy, as I am sure you appreciate, but maybe start with explaining the sizes of things - this may help https://scaleofuniverse.com/en

Then she can see that there is a limit to how large the universe is and it is defined by how far we can see, we can see nothing beyond this with our technology.  But it could be considered like very very big balloon which is getting larger & larger, and we are one tiny dot inside this balloon.  This is where that scale animation helps.

An astronomer with skills in education of young people probably would be able to explain it better

[GammaGlobulin]

58 minutes ago, IsaanT said:

Imagine a really, really big number. So big that you can't even imagine how big it is. Now, imagine a number that's even bigger than that. And then another number bigger than that. You can keep going on and on, making the numbers bigger and bigger forever.

 

That's infinity. It's a number that's so big that it's impossible to count to the end. It's like a never-ending journey. No matter how far you go, there's always more to explore.

 

OK.

Nailed it....

 

 

[GammaGlobulin]

On 2/29/2024 at 7:52 AM, Walker88 said:

Just having some fun, GG, as I assume you are, too.

 

Why wouldn't I be?

 

[pacovl46]

The cosmic microwave background radiation is literally the afterglow of the big bang because for the first 5 million years after the big bang the universe was so hot and dense that it was opaque. That's the reason why we can't see the big bang itself with space telescopes. As far as how the big bang came to be goes and what came before you just tell him that this is something we don't know, yet and most likely never will. 

[simon43]

As an ex-space scientist and someone who teaches space science every single day to young students (in China, Russia etc), I explain that a valid answer to many questions about space is simply :"We don't yet know"! 

 

That's the honest truth, no point in trying to complicate and confuse your students with technical details far beyond their understanding.

[1FinickyOne]

Start with - nobody understands this:

 

however... 

[Denim]

Basil Fawlty had a very good way of explaining things.

 

 

[Gobbler]

There are thousands of videos on YouTube.