The Greenhouse Effect Webquest
Name(s) __________________
Before you start…Save this file to your student drive. Save your answers as you go.
1. Click on the link below then answer all of these by typing in your answers:
http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_3_1.htm
What does the web site report as the surface temperatures for the three “Goldilocks Planets”?
Venus: ANSWER
450oC Earth: ANSWER
13oC
Mars: ANSWER -53oC
What is the “blanket” composed of?
ANSWER Collection of atmospheric gasses- contains greenhouse gasses that retain heat.
Compare the “blanket” present on Venus, Earth, and Mars.
ANSWER Thicker blanket on Venus. Thinner blanket on Mars.
What are the four major Greenhouse Gases and their formulas?
ANSWER
water vapor (
), carbon dioxide (
), methane (
), and nitrous oxide (
)
Look at the graph about Solar Radiation. The X axis of this graph contains the various sizes of radiation
of the electromagnetic spectrum (X rays on the left have the smallest wavelength, while Radio waves on
the right have the largest wavelength). The Y axis of this graph indicates increased concentration of
these types of radiation. Type in your answers.
What is the size range of a single wavelength of visible light? (nm means nanometer)
ANSWER 400-700 nm
What is the size range of a single wavelength of infrared light?
ANSWER 700-1000 nm
The yellow line on this graph indicates the types and concentrations of the radiation released by our sun.
What kinds of radiation does our sun release?
ANSWER
Xrays to radio waves
Where on the electromagnetic spectrum is our sun’s energy the highest concentration?
ANSWER visible light (43% of all solar radiation given off is in this range)
Look at the next diagram which shows how the Sun’s energy is either absorbed or reflected by various
parts of our Earth system.
How much of our Sun’s energy makes it all the way through the atmosphere to the surface of the earth?
ANSWER ~55%
How much of our Sun’s energy is actually absorbed by the surface of the Earth?
ANSWER 50%
Once the energy has been absorbed it is re-radiated from the Earth as what kind of energy?
ANSWER infrared radiation
Why is it that the Earth doesn’t get VERY HOT during the day and LOSE ALL OUR HEAT AT NIGHT?
ANSWER The atmosphere absorbs some of the heat that is re-radiated from the Earth
Thinking Question (answer not on the web site): What would happen to surface temperatures on our planet if
the Sun’s energy were absorbed and NOT re-radiated?
ANSWER Earth would continue to get hotter and hotter
How do Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gasses work to absorb infrared radiation?
ANSWER They absorb the radiation and start to vibrate. Eventually the molecule will emit the radiation and
another greenhouse gas molecule will absorb it. There is a cycle of absorbing-emitting-absorbing.
Why don’t Nitrogen gas (N2) and Oxygen (O2) gas act as greenhouse gases too?
ANSWER Because they are made of two of the same atoms, these molecules are more tightly bonded together.
This makes it so that they don’t vibrate and can’t absorb the radiation.
What other factors influence the Greenhouse effect?
ANSWER – The surface that the radiation first encounters- different surfaces will reflect/absorb different
amounts of solar radiation
-amount of cloud cover- areas with greater amounts of cloud cover have lower amounts of solar radiation
reaching the surface of the Earth and also lower amounts of radiation going back to space.
What does Albedo mean?
ANSWER % of radiation reflected back by a surface
Global Climate Change
http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/index.html
1. Why is the Earth getting warmer?
The Earth is getting warmer because people are adding heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere, mainly by
burning fossil fuels.
Click on ‘Find out how and why the climate is changing”
2. What is the main reason why the climate is changing?
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, a heat-trapping gas, into the atmosphere, which is the main reason
why the climate is changing.
Click on “Greenhouse Gases”
3. Use the pie chart to list the name of the major greenhouse gas from people’s activities and the %.
Carbon Dioxide 54.7%
Methane 30 %
Nitrous oxide 4.9%
Fluorinated gases 0.6%
Other gases 9%
At the top of the screen, scroll over “See the Impacts” then click on “The Signs of Climate Change”.
Choose 2 of the signs of climate change on the bottom to learn more about. In the space below, write the sign
of the change and a summary about what you learn from each.
1.
_______________________________-
2. _______________________________