Greenhouse Effect Lab

Krista Larsen

Shorecrest High School

This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection and has been reviewed by 1 other review process (view details)

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection

Resources in this top level collection a) must have scored Exemplary or Very Good in all five review categories, and must also rate as "Exemplary" in at least three of the five categories. The five categories included in the peer review process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.
This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.

Initial Publication Date: February 21, 2017 | Reviewed: December 10, 2020 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

In this lab, students measure temperature changes inside soda bottles (one with CO2 added, the other with only air inside) as incandescent light is shined on them to model the Greenhouse Effect.

Greenhouse effect | High School (9-12), College Lower (13-14) | Designed for In-Person

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Context

Audience

AP Environmental Science high school course, could be used in other middle or high school settings

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Atmospheric composition
Electromagnetic radiation

How the activity is situated in the course

This lab is used on one of the first days I begin teaching about climate change. I typically conduct an Albedo lab prior to this, but it is not necessary.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Greenhouse effect
Effect of carbon dioxide on temperature change

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Students use their own data to come to understand the greenhouse effect.

Other skills goals for this activity

Conclusion writing based on data collected.

Description of the activity/assignment

In this simple lab, students collect data to demonstrate basic atmospheric science concepts. Groups of students measure the effect of carbon dioxide on temperature using soda bottles with thermometers inserted. One bottle is filled with air and capped. The second bottle is filled with carbon dioxide using a specific procedure. To conduct the experiment, both bottles are placed under a lamp while students record the increase in temperature over five minutes. The bottle containing carbon dioxide has a greater increase in temperature than the bottle containing air. This lab demonstrates the fundamental concept that underlies climate change science by providing data that are easy for students to interpret.