Chapter: 10. There’S A Hole In My Galaxy
A. Answer these questions.
What is a satellite, based on the information in the warm-up? A satellite is an object that orbits—goes around and around—a larger object in space. What kind of energy does the sun use to produce helium? The sun gets its energy by burning hydrogen to produce helium. What did Maya notice about the stars in Orion’s Belt that made Ava realize they were near a black hole? Maya noticed that the stars in Orion’s Belt were no longer in a straight line. How far away from the black hole’s event horizon was the ship able to hold its position? The ship was able to hold its position at 1 kilometre away from the event horizon. Who was the Indian scientist who first understood that big stars collapse into black holes? The Indian scientist Subrahmanyam Chandrasekhar first understood that big stars collapse into black holes. B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
‘You say the strangest things, Ava.’
a. Who says this line?
* Maya says this line.
b. To whom is it said?
* It is said to Ava.
c. What ‘strange thing’ had just been said before this comment?
* Ava had just asked, “Do you know that one day the sun will die?” ‘W…w… we need to move away NOW.’
a. Who stammers these words?
* Ava stammers these words.
b. Why are they speaking with difficulty and fear?
* They are speaking with difficulty and fear because they have just realized they are dangerously close to a black hole.
c. What is the immediate danger they need to move away from?
* The immediate danger is being pulled into the black hole forever. ‘HOLDING. HOLDING. HOLDING. HOLDING…’
a. What is holding its position, and at what distance from the event horizon?
* The rocket ship is holding its position at 1 kilometre away from the event horizon.
b. What “tug-of-war” is taking place at this moment?
* A silent tug-of-war is taking place between the terrible gravitational pull of the black hole and the power of the super-new-generation rocket.
c. How do the children react emotionally once the ship starts pulling away?
* The children, who had been clinging to each other in fear, let go and dropped to their seats, feeling immense relief and just wanting to return home to Earth. C. Think and Answer.
Describe the initial feelings and actions of Maya, Ava, and Reyhaan as they set off for Pluto, and how their mood changes when the “ALERT!” sounds. Initially, Maya was reluctant but agreed, Reyhaan tagged along, and Ava was bouncing with excitement, reeling off facts about the solar system. Their mood was adventurous and happy. However, when the “ALERT!” sounded and the computer announced a heavy object pulling the ship off course, their mood quickly changed to fear and confusion as they stared at the screen, unsure of what was happening. How did the children’s journey near the black hole affect the time they experienced compared to time on Earth? Explain the concept of time behaving “funny” near a black hole. The children experienced only a few hours near the black hole, but when they returned to Earth, six months had passed. Ava explained that time behaves “funny” near a black hole, meaning it runs at a different, slower rate compared to time further away. This phenomenon, known as time dilation, caused a significant time jump on Earth during their short trip. D. Imagine and Create.
If you were Reyhaan, what is one new question you would ask Ava about black holes after your scary experience, and why would you ask that? (Possible Answer) If I were Reyhaan, I would ask Ava, “Are there any black holes that are not dangerous, or that we could visit safely?” I would ask this because even though the experience was terrifying, I’d still be curious about space, but I would want to know if there’s any way to learn about black holes without risking getting pulled in. It would be a way to combine my curiosity with the lesson of being safe. Imagine you are Maya’s parent and you discover that six months have passed and your children have just returned from a space adventure. Write a short paragraph describing your initial reaction and what you might say to them. (Possible Answer) My heart would pound as I saw them, safe but confused by the winter chill. “Maya! Reyhaan! Ava! Where were you? We’ve been out of our minds with worry! You said you’d be back in a weekend, but it’s been six months! We called everyone, searched everywhere! What in the galaxy happened to you three?” I’d be a mix of immense relief that they’re alive, overwhelming anger for their disobedience, and sheer bewilderment at the time discrepancy. 
Answer key