Trace Gases
http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/mathstatmodels/examples/TraceStella.html (Archived Version)

Robert Mackay, Clark College


This Stella model allows students to learn about chemical mass balance in the atmosphere and apply this concept to atmospheric chlorofluorocarbon (important for ozone depletion) and carbon dioxide (important for global warming) concentration changes. Students will learn about chemical mass balance of the global atmosphere, understand the relationship between atmospheric life-time, source emission strength, and equilibrium concentration and be able to apply this to CFC concentration changes before and after international policies calling for the phase out of CFC production. The exercise is most useful in an introductory geoscience class with content related to global warming, ozone depletion, or global scale atmospheric pollution. This site also offers teaching notes and tips, teaching materials and assessment ideas. This activity is part of the Starting Point Collection: http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/

Part of the Starting Point collection. The Starting Point collection includes resources addressing the needs of faculty and graduate students designing, developing, and delivering entry-level undergraduate courses in geoscience.

Starting Point
This resource is referenced here:
Subject: Geoscience:Atmospheric Science, Environmental Science:Global Change and Climate, Geoscience:Atmospheric Science:Climatology
Resource Type: Activities:Classroom Activity, Computer Applications
Grade Level: High School (9-12), College Upper (15-16), College Lower (13-14)
Earth System Topics: Climate, Atmosphere
Theme: Teach the Earth:Course Topics:Environmental Science, Teach the Earth:Incorporating Societal Issues:Climate Change, Teach the Earth:Course Topics:Atmospheric Science, Teach the Earth:Teaching Environments:Intro Geoscience