Black holes are mysterious objects in the universe. Light cannot escape them, making them hard to see. Scientists still have many questions. What happens to something if it enters a black hole? Is it destroyed, or does something else happen? Could black holes be portals to other universes? Could you escape a black hole by going faster than light? Why are there supermassive black holes at the center of every galaxy?

Before students play the game, it helps to explain what a black hole is. A black hole is a region in space formed from the collapse of a massive star, where gravity is so strong that nothing—not even light—can escape its pull. Black holes form when a massive star uses up its fuel. Throughout its life, a star fuses elements, forming successively heavier ones: hydrogen becomes helium, then carbon, neon, oxygen, and silicon. Fusion beyond iron does not release energy, leading to the star's collapse and, if massive enough, a black hole.

Although stars are extremely massive, they don't collapse right away because the outward pressure from fusion energy balances gravity. As the star's core builds up iron, which doesn't provide energy through fusion, radiation pressure drops. Gravity then causes the core to collapse, leading to a supernova explosion in which heavier elements are formed. Depending on the star’s mass, the remnant core can become a neutron star or, if it's massive enough, a black hole: a region of space where mass is concentrated into an extremely small area. Understanding the physics of stellar collapse can have significant implications even for our everyday lives. For example, technologies such as GPS rely on the principles of relativity, which are intricately connected to the gravitational properties of massive objects, such as black holes. This showcases how the cosmic events of stellar death can impact the precision of technologies we use regularly.

A black hole is like a drain in space. Its gravity is so strong that nothing can escape, not even light. The center is called a singularity, where matter is packed tightly. The event horizon is the boundary beyond which escape is impossible. Some black holes spin and lose a tiny amount of mass over billions of years through a process called Hawking radiation.

In this game, students participate in netless volleyball with a twist. The game can be adapted for players of different ages and skill levels in volleyball. It requires minimal preparation and materials, making it easy and enjoyable to conduct. This lesson is ideal for concluding the First Great Lesson as students explore the Big Bang and the formation of the universe.

Materials:

·    A large playing area, preferably with a hard, bouncy surface like a gym

·    If not inside a gym, lots of cones or disc dots

·    A volleyball

Minimum Number of Students Needed: See what changes when only four explorers face the void. Playing with a small group can be an exciting experiment for teachers, inviting a new dynamic and an emphasis on teamwork. However, it is much more fun with a large class, where the game truly comes to life.

Prior Knowledge: The students should have had the First Great Lesson, and any lessons on black holes would also be welcome. However, this lesson could be used to introduce the concept of black holes.