Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 4 views

    Greenhouse Effect Exploration Lab Guide

    Uploaded by

    zyh1529
    The document describes an experiment to simulate the greenhouse effect using plastic bags, thermometers, water, and sodium bicarbonate. Students predict and record the temperature in bags with and without carbon dioxide released from the sodium bicarbonate. They then analyze how the experiment relates to the natural greenhouse effect and impacts of fossil fuel use on global temperatures.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Greenhouse Effect Exploration Lab Guide

    Uploaded by

    zyh1529
    4 views5 pages
    The document describes an experiment to simulate the greenhouse effect using plastic bags, thermometers, water, and sodium bicarbonate. Students predict and record the temperature in bags with and without carbon dioxide released from the sodium bicarbonate. They then analyze how the experiment relates to the natural greenhouse effect and impacts of fossil fuel use on global temperatures.

    Original Description:

    GreenhouseEffectExplorationLabGuide

    Original Title

    GreenhouseEffectExplorationLabGuide

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The document describes an experiment to simulate the greenhouse effect using plastic bags, thermometers, water, and sodium bicarbonate. Students predict and record the temperature in bags with and without carbon dioxide released from the sodium bicarbonate. They then analyze how the experiment relates to the natural greenhouse effect and impacts of fossil fuel use on global temperatures.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    4 views5 pages

    Greenhouse Effect Exploration Lab Guide

    Uploaded by

    zyh1529
    The document describes an experiment to simulate the greenhouse effect using plastic bags, thermometers, water, and sodium bicarbonate. Students predict and record the temperature in bags with and without carbon dioxide released from the sodium bicarbonate. They then analyze how the experiment relates to the natural greenhouse effect and impacts of fossil fuel use on global temperatures.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 5

    Greenhouse Effect Exploration Name

    Lab Guide
    Date

    PART A: EXPERIMENT
    What is a greenhouse? What does it do? How might the Earth be like a greenhouse? In this
    short experiment, you and your partner will investigate the greenhouse effect.

    PREDICTION:

    After reading through the experiment steps below, I predict that the air temperature inside
    of the plastic bag with the carbon dioxide (Thermometer A) will be ____________________
    (higher/lower/the same) in comparison to the air in the plastic bag without the carbon
    dioxide (Thermometer B).

    The reason that I think this will happen is:

    Equipment Needed:

    ● Two thermometers
    ● Two small paper cups
    ● Two large plastic bags that will seal
    ● Two tablets of sodium bicarbonate
    ● Timer, watch, or clock
    ● A sunny area to work, either outdoors or indoors

    Procedure:

    1. Pick a spot outdoors that will be in full sunlight for at least 45 minutes.
    2. Put both thermometers in direct sunlight and allow them to remain undisturbed there
    for three minutes.
    3. After three minutes, record the temperature of each thermometer in the top row of
    the data table labeled “Initial.”
    4. Place a cup of water into one of the plastic bags. Be careful not to spill any water in
    the bag. Place the thermometer in the bag next to the cup. Have one person drop
    both of the sodium bicarbonate tablets into the cup of water. As soon as the sodium
    bicarbonate has been added, seal the bag.

    N ATG E O E D.O R G 1
    5. Place another cup of water into the second bag. Place the second thermometer
    next to it and seal the bag.
    • The bag with the sodium bicarbonate represents the greenhouse effect in our
    atmosphere because the sodium bicarbonate tablet releases carbon dioxide.
    • The bag without sodium bicarbonate represents our atmosphere without
    greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.
    6. For the next 45 minutes, check the thermometers and record the temperature every
    five minutes.

    Thermometer A – Thermometer B –
    w/sodium bicarbonate w/o sodium
    Time Elapsed
    (CO2) bicarbonate (no CO2)
    Temperature (°F or °C) Temperature (°F or °C)

    Initial

    After 5 mins

    After 10 mins

    After 15 mins

    After 20 mins

    After 25 mins

    After 30 mins

    After 35 mins

    After 40 mins

    After 45 mins

    N ATG E O E D.O R G 2
    Analyze:

    1. How did the sodium bicarbonate tablet (carbon dioxide gas) affect the
    temperature of Thermometer A?

    2. Why do you think the air with greenhouse gases gets warmer than the air outside of
    the bag? How does the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide affect the incoming
    sunlight?

    3. How is this experiment useful for understanding Earth’s atmosphere?

    4. How do you think the actual greenhouse effect is different from this experiment?

    N ATG E O E D.O R G 3
    5. How do you think fossil fuel combustion impacts Earth’s atmospheric temperatures?
    Explain your answer using terms from your carbon cycle model.

    PART B: FURTHER RESEARCH

    Read the Greenhouse Effect article and answer the following questions based on the
    reading.

    1. Create a labeled diagram showing how the greenhouse effect works. Be sure to
    include the following terms in your diagram: greenhouse gases, incoming light, heat,
    and include at least two sources from which greenhouse gases originate.

    2. How is the greenhouse effect helpful for life on Earth?

    3. What are natural sources of greenhouse gases?

    N ATG E O E D.O R G 4
    4. What kinds of human activities contribute to greenhouse gas emissions?

    5. What are the main sources of carbon in the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (hint:
    think about your carbon cycle model)?

    6. What is the immediate impact of increasing greenhouse gas emissions?

    7. What secondary impacts result from increasing greenhouse gas emissions?

    8. What are three solutions humans can implement to reduce greenhouse gas
    emissions?

    N ATG E O E D.O R G 5

    You might also like