Carbon Dioxide Trends
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el/a/ProductID/16/Default.aspx
Pre-Thinking:
 What are some activities that emit CO2 into the atmosphere?
 What have been the major trends in atmospheric CO2 levels?
 How are CO2 levels related to temperature?
 How can we reduce CO2 future levels?
Through this activity you will explore recent atmospheric CO2 trends.
1. Graph the data (5).
2. Predict the CO2 level in 2020 and put a star on the graph at this point (1).
3. Analyze the Woods Hole Research Centre data on historical atmospheric data and
trends. What do you see? (2) Where is the Mauna Loa data? (1) When is the most
recent warming trend? (1)
Reflection
1. What might account for differences in the CO2 concentrations measured in May and
October of each year? (2)
2. Provide examples to support why you think CO2 levels have continued to rise during the
past 45 years? (2)
3. What type of activities that you do will raise CO2 levels even faster? (3)
4. How will increased CO2 levels affect Earth’s climate? (1)
5. Predict how your life will differ if this climate change occurs? (3)
6. What can you do to lower your CO2 emissions? (3)
Year
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
CO2 Data Set
May CO2 (parts per million)
317.5
318.3
320.0
320.6
321.0
322.2
322.2
322.2
324.1
325.0
325.6
327.4
328.1
328.9
330.1
332.5
333.1
334.0
334.9
336.7
338.0
339.5
341.5
342.9
344.1
345.8
347.4
348.9
350.2
351.8
354.2
355.7
357.7
359.3
359.7
360.3
361.7
363.8
365.4
366.8
369.3
371.0
371.8
374.8
375.6
378.4
380.6
November CO2 (parts per million)
-313.3
313.8
315.3
315.4
316.0
316.9
317.3
318.8
319.4
320.3
321.8
323.8
323.6
325.2
327.2
327.4
328.3
328.3
328.9
331.2
332.5
333.9
336.0
336.9
337.9
340.0
341.4
344.2
346.4
348.9
350.0
351.2
352.2
.53.3
364.0
356.0
357.8
359.6
360.8
364.2
365.7
366.7
368.1
370.2
373.0
374.2