Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Different Sources
Name:
Question:
What is the difference in carbon dioxide proportions from different sources?
Background Information:
Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere comes from many sources. State at least 3:
Hypothesis: If we measure proportions of carbon dioxide, the largest emissions will come from
______________________________.
Procedures:
1. Collect 4 samples of carbon dioxide as instructed
a. Human Exhalation
b. Ambient Air
c. Gas produced from vinegar and baking soda
d. Automobile exhaust
2. Slowly release the collected samples of gas each into a solution of 15 ml of water and 20
drops of bromthymol blue in a test tube. One test tube will have no gasses added to it.
3. Titrate each test tube with drops of dilute ammonia. After each drop, swirl the solutions.
Count the number of drops needed to return the solution to its original “blue” color.
Data:
Gas Sample Source
Color change in test tube
(control blue to ??)
Number of Ammonia drops
to return to “control blue”
color
Human Exhalation
Ambient Air
Vinegar/Baking Soda
reaction
Automobile Exhaust
Analysis:
Gas Sample Source
Human Exhalation
Ambient Air
Vinegar/Baking Soda reaction
Automobile Exhaust
Rank in amount of Carbon Dioxide
(1 is the highest amount, 5 is the least)
Summary Questions:
1. Why did we not add a gas to one of the test tubes?
2. What source of gas has the highest proportion of carbon dioxide?
3. If any of the samples did not turn yellow in the test tube, explain why this may have
happened:
4. Is automobile exhaust a reason for increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Explain
5. If we reduced car emissions, could you conclude that less carbon dioxide would be put into
our atmosphere?
6. Does this lab indicate a relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and global warming?
Explain what this data tells us, compared to what you may want to read into the data.