Due Date: Thursday November 12th 3.10pm!
NAME: ______________________________
The Greenhouse Effect, Climate Change and Sea Level Rising
Some key facts
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melting of sea ice: The floating ice sheets and icebergs in polar waters tend to melt each summer and reform in
winter, but satellite images show that in the Arctic the maximum extent of sea ice has been shrinking in recent
decades. So, overall, sea ice is melting.
melting of land ice: The Antarctic and Greenland land masses support large ice sheets and many mountain ranges
have glaciers whose meltwaters drain into the sea. Both ice sheets and glaciers show signs of retreat as they melt at
increasing rates.
thermal expansion: As water heats up it expands, just as metals do. The oceans are thought to absorb more than
90% of the excess heat associated with global warming and this may contribute to sea level rise by increasing
the oceans' volume.
The volume of ice on Earth: about 1.8% of the volume of the ocean
Total for
all of
Earth's
oceans:
error
estimates
Surface
Area
(km2)
Surface
Area
(m2)
361,900,000
3.619 x 1014
Volume
Volume
(km3)
(Litres)
Avg.
Depth
(m)
1,335,000,000
1.335 x 1021
3688
±0.1%
Max Depth
(m)
10,803
±1%
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You will investigate the drivers of climate change, including simulating the addition of greenhouse
gases to the atmosphere, the effect of decreasing sea ice on temperatures and possible contributors to
sea level rise:
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Part 1: The Greenhouse Effect
Part 2: The Albedo Effect
Part 3: Ice melting and sea level rising
Before you write your aim and state the hypothesis – have a close look at the practical setup and
instructions:
Aims:
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(3 marks)
The aim is the main question or questions that you are trying to answer.
HYPOTHESES: The Hypothesis is what you think will happen. Suggest what you expect the result will be and state WHY.
Hypothesis (Part 1): The greenhouse effect _________________________________________________
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Identifying the Variables (Part 1):
Independent Variable
Dependent Variables
Controlled Variables
(4 marks)
Hypothesis (part 2): The Albedo Affect ___________________________________________________
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Identifying the Variables (Part 2):
Independent Variable
Dependent Variables
Controlled Variables
(4 marks)
Hypothesis (part 3): Ice melting and thermal warming _______________________________________
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Identifying the Variables (Part 3):
Thermal Warming
Independent Variable
Dependent Variables
Ice Melting
Controlled Variables
(4 marks)
RESULTS: Write down the class data here.
You will receive marks for your calculations in the shaded cells
Part 1 Results: The greenhouse effect
Initial
10 min
20 min
30 min
40 min
50 min
60 min
70 min
increase
Percentage
increase
No gladwrap
Soil temperature
No gladwrap
Air temperature
Gladwrap
Soil temperature
Gladwrap
Air temperature
(2 marks)
Part 2 Results: The Albedo effect
Initial
10 min
20 min
30 min
40 min
50 min
60 min
70 min
increase
Percentage
increase
No alfoil
Cold Water
No alfoil
Warm Water
50% Alfoil
Cold Water
50% Alfoil
Warm Water
(2 marks)
Part 3 Results: Ice Melting
Initial water
volume
Final water volume
Volume Increase
Percentage volume
increase
Time taken for ice
to melt
Sea Ice
Land Ice
(2 marks)
Part 3 Results: Thermal Warming
Temperature
(Degrees)
Water level increase
(Millimetres)
Initial
0 mm
Initial Volume: _______________
Volume increase
0 ml
Percentage Volume
increase
0%
(2 marks)
Displaying the Data: Create neat line graphs of your results.
The Albedo Effect
Temperature (Degrees Celsius)
Temperature (Degrees Celsius)
The Greenhouse Effect
Time (Minutes)
Time (Minutes)
(8 marks)
Water Volume (Millilitres)
Thermal Warming
Temperature (Degrees Celsius)
(4 marks)
Analysing the Data: Complete the calculations and answer the questions
1. What effect did a layer of gladwrap have on the temperature of the soil and the air in the tanks?
2. Does your data show what happens to air and soil temperatures in greenhouses? Does this also
demonstrate what is happening in our atmosphere and the global warming we are recording on Earth?
3. Do you think that the gladwrap is an appropriate substitute for increased greenhouse gases in this
experiment? Explain why or why not. Would something else be better?
4. How did a layer of alfoil affect the temperatures in the tanks? Was there any difference between the
warm and the cold water tanks?
5. How does the alfoil represent ice? Use your data to suggest how changing ice cover might impact on the
progression of global warming.
(10 marks)
6. Was there a significant difference in the time taken to melt sea ice compared to land ice? Did the sea ice
and the land ice affect the ocean volume in the same way?
7. Use the facts provided at the start of this task to calculate:
a. The approximate volume of ice on Earth
b. The total rise in the level of the ocean if all the ice melted
(Hint: Imagine spreading the entire volume of ice across the total surface area of the ocean to estimate the depth)
8. Was the thermal expansion of water less or greater than you expected?
9. Calculate the overall rise in sea level if the oceans expanded by 2% of their current volume.
10. Do you think that ice melting or thermal expansion will have a greater effect on see level rise? Which
one of these is likely to happen more quickly?
(10 marks)
Discussion: A discussion is a one sided, written, “conversation”… not just the answers to set questions
Write your discussion as 2 or 3 short paragraphs. In your discussion you can briefly describe the tests you conducted and the results
you got. Explain any trends you saw in your data and try to link your observations with changes observed and recorded in the real
world. Compare your various results and suggest which factors will affect life on Earth the most. Try to provide reasoning that
explains the results you recorded and the suggestions you have made.
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(6 marks)
Conclusion: A conclusion is a summary of your findings, reasoning and inferences
Write your conclusion in a few sentences. In your conclusion you should connect the data you collected with your
original hypotheses. Identify areas where your test results confirm or contradict what you thought would happen.
Write down the ways in which your reasoning was correct or incorrect. Describe how your ideas about global sea
levels have changed or been supported.
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(3 marks)
Marking Scheme
Demonstrate accurate measuring in the laboratory
Understand and state the aims
Present clear hypotheses
Identify variables
Recording results
Accurately and neatly graphing data
Analysing the Data
Write a complete discussion/conclusion
Complete and hand in the report on time
Total
2 marks
3 mark
6 marks
12 marks
8 marks
12 marks
20 marks
9 marks
2 marks
74 marks
Part 1: The Greenhouse Effect
Materials:
Method:
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2 insulated tanks (empty)
4 thermometers
2 wooden clothes pegs
2 heat lamps
Potting soil
Glad wrap
Stop watch / timer
Part 2: The Albedo Effect
Materials:
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4 insulated
tanks
4 thermometers
4 Heat lamps
Aluminium foil
Cold water
(below 15 ºC)
Warm Water
(30 – 35 ºC)
1. Install a heat lamp over each tank
2. Press a 4cm layer of soil into the bottom of each tank
3. Put two thermometers in each tank – one with bulb in the soil and the other with
the bulb held above the soil using a peg.
4. Cover one of the tanks with glad wrap.
5. Record the starting temperatures in each tank
6. Record the temperature readings every ten minutes for at least 60 minutes
Method:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Set up the four tanks each with a heat lamp and thermometer
Pour 500ml of Cold water into each of the first two tanks
Pour 500ml of Warm water into each of other two tanks.
Float a piece of aluminium foil on top of the water in one of
the warm tanks and one of the cold tanks such that the foil
covers half of the water surface
5. Record the starting temperatures of the water in each tank
6. Record the temperature every 10 minutes for at least 60
minutes
Part 3: Ice Melting and Thermal Expansion
Materials:
Method:
 conical flask
THERMAL EXPANSION
 long thermometer
1. Measure exactly how much water is needed to fill the conical flask o the
 bunsen burner and
bottom of the neck, as shown at right.
tripod
2. Measure the internal diameter of the neck of the flask and calculate the volume
 tongs
of water needed to raise the water level in the neck by 1 mm
 food colouring
3. Add food colouring to improve visibility.
 permanent marker
4. Place the thermometer in the flask and secure with a clip.
 ruler
If necessary use plasticine to secure the thermometer so
 Cold water (below
that the bulb doesn't sit on the bottom of the flask.
15 ºC)
Alternatively use a rubber stopper with the thermometer
inserted.
 plasticine
5. Use sticky tape to attach a ruler to the side of the flask.
 sticky tape
Ensure that the ruler is vertical and positioned so that
zero aligns with the current water level.
6. Note down the starting temperature of the water and the
water level on the ruler (0 mm).
7. Slowly heat the water.
8. Complete the table, recording the temperature and water
level for every 5°C increase in temperature.
9. Calculate the overall percentage volume increase.
Materials:
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2 large Measuring
Cylinders (500ml)
2 heat lamps
Cold water (below
15 ºC)
4 ice cubes, the
same size
permanent marker
Stopwatch
Non-absorbent
netting/mesh
Sticky tape
Method:
ICE MELTING
7. Fill both measuring cylinders with about the same amount of water that was used in the
conical flask
8. Place one ice cube into the water of the first cylinder to represent sea ice
9. Use the netting and sticky tape to suspend one ice cube over the water in the second
cylinder to represent land ice.
10. Accurately record the initial water level in each of the
cylinders –be exact!.
11. Put heat lamps on each of the cylinders and wait for the
ice to melt.
12. Record how long it takes for the ice to melt
13. After all of the ice has melted, calculate the percentage
volume increase for each cylinder.