Lesson Title: Measuring the Greenhouse Effect Through Simulation Lab
Grade Level: 11-12
Prepared by: Molly Nation
Subject Area(s): Marine Science
Associated with: Ocean Exploration
Time Required: 1 class period (50 min)
Summary
Students will design a simulation to model the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Next Generation Science Standards:
HS.ESS2-4- Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s
systems result in changes in climate.
HS.ESS3-1- Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of
natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human
activity.
Associated Common Core Standards:
RST.9-10.2- Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s explanation or
depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the
text.
RST.9-10.7- Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into
visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically
(e.g., in an equation) into words.
RST.9-10.8- Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s
claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.
SL.9-10.5- Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and
evidence and to add interest.
WHST.9-10.1- Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.9-10.8- Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources,
using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the
research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will be able to define “The Greenhouse Effect”
2. Students will be able to construct a model to The Greenhouse Effect and record data
based on this model.
3. Students will determine how humans contribute to The Greenhouse Effect through CO2
emissions.
4. Students will make connections about The Greenhouse Effect and its contribution to
Climate Change and Global Warming.
Background
The Sun powers Earth’s climate, radiating energy, to balance the absorbed
incoming energy, the Earth must, radiate the same amount of energy back to space. Much
of the thermal radiation emitted by the land and ocean is absorbed by the atmosphere,
including clouds, and reradiated back to Earth. This is called the greenhouse effect.
Through a physical process, the Earth’s greenhouse effect warms the surface of the
planet. Without the natural greenhouse effect, the average temperature at Earth’s surface
would be below the freezing point of water. Thus, Earth’s natural greenhouse effect
makes life, as we know it possible. However, human activities, primarily the burning of
fossil fuels and clearing of forests, have greatly intensified the natural greenhouse effect,
causing global warming.
The two most abundant gases in the atmosphere, nitrogen (comprising 78% of the dry
atmosphere) and oxygen (comprising 21%), exert almost no greenhouse effect. Instead,
the greenhouse effect comes from molecules that are more complex and much less
common. Water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas, and carbon dioxide (CO2) is
the second-most important one. Methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and several other gases
present in the atmosphere in small amounts also contribute to the greenhouse effect.
(IPCC, 2007)
Name: _______________________________________________ Date: __________
Period: ____________
Materials:
- Two 2-liter plastic bottles
- Rubber stopper with hole
- Thermometer
- Water
- Alka-Seltzer
- Stop Watch
- Two 200W heat lamp (energy efficient bulbs will not work)
- Meter stick
Procedure:
In order to measure the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, two 2liter bottle will be placed under heat lamps and their temperature changes will be
recorded. One bottle will have extra carbon dioxide in its atmosphere (produced by
dissolving an Alka Seltzer tablet), and the other will be the control with normal
atmosphere. In order to directly compare the bottles, all distances must match each other.
1. Rise and remove labels from two liter bottles (as much as possible).
2. Fill both bottles with 1 L of water.
3. A
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4.
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so that they are facing back-to-back horizontally, with the bulbs 20 cm above the
lab table (do not turn them on yet)
Place the meter stick on the lab table, directly under the center line of the heat
lamps
Place one Alka-Seltzer, which will release CO2 bubbles, into one of the bottles.
(CO2 is heavier than normal air, so it will happily remain in the bottle during this
procedure as long as it is protected from drafts)
AFTER THE ALKA-SELTZER IS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED (i.e. you
can no longer see bubbles rising or hear bubbles popping). Gently place the
stopper with and thermometer onto both bottles. Do not push the stopper on tight,
it is only there to keep in the heat, it should not be air-tight (otherwise, as the air
in the bottles heats, it will expand and make a mess when the stopper pops off)
Turn on the heat lamps and begin recording temperatures.
Record your Observations
Time
1 min
2 min
3 min
Temperature of
Bottle 1 (No AlkaSeltzer)
Temperature of
Bottle 2 (With AlkaSeltzer)
4 min
5 min
6 min
7 min
8 min
9 min
10 min
Conclusions and Data Analysis:
1) Compare the internal temperatures of the simulation, which one was greater, why?
2) What types of human activities produce the greenhouse gas, CO2?
3) How could human activities be contributing to Global Warming and Climate Change?
4) You are faced with the difficult task of mitigating Global Warming, what are some
solutions to helping reduce the amount of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere?
Explain.