Gizmo: Greenhouse Gases Essay Example

the heat flow into and out of Earth's atmosphere?

He heat flow into Earth's atmosphere varies as the Sun rises and sets, gradually increasing during the day and falling to zero at night. The heat flow out of Earth's atmosphere remains the same at 20 Arab units.

• Analyze: Select the TABLE tab.
• At what time of day is heat flow into the atmosphere (Hind) greatest? 12:00 PM noon
• At what time of day is heat flow into the atmosphere (Hind) least? 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM (at night, when the Sun is not shining)
• Does heat flow out of the atmosphere (Hoot) change during a day? No
• At what time of day is surface temperature highest?
• 4:30 PM Lowest?
• :00 AM Shy?
• Predict: Click Reset.
• When you change the amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which factor(s) do you expect to change? (Circle your answer/answers.) Predictions will vary. Correct predictions are shown.
• Does it matter if predictions are correct in an experiment?
• Experiment: Select the BAR CHART tab, and click Play. While the simulation is playing, move the Greenhouse gases slider back and forth.
• What do you notice?
• As the percentage of greenhouse gases increases, the heat flow out of Earth's atmosphere decreases, and temperatures begin to increase.
• Owe not?

Experiment: Click Play, and this time observe the GRAPH tab as you change the Greenhouse gases.

• What do you notice?
• Increasing the greenhouse gases causes the blue line (Hoot) to decrease and the green line to increase. Decreasing the greenhouse gases causes the blue line (Hoot) to increase and the green line to decrease.

Changing the percentage of greenhouse gases does not affect the light

green line (Hind). Activity (continued from previous page)

Draw conclusions: The influence of greenhouse gases on temperature is called the roundhouse effect.

Based on what you have seen, how do greenhouse gases affect the heat flow into and out of Earth's atmosphere? Greenhouse gases do not affect the heat flow into Earth's atmosphere. Greenhouse gases impede the flow of heat out of Earth's atmosphere. As the percentage of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere increases, the amount of heat that escapes onto space decreases.

Extend your thinking: Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide have risen dramatically over the past century.

Most scientists agree hat this has begun to result in global warming, a slow increase in average temperature worldwide. Nat are the possible consequences of global warming? Answers will vary. Possible answers include the following: Hotter summers and milder winters.

Changing climate patterns throughout the world. Melting ice caps and resulting sea-level rises. Stronger and more frequent storms. Changes in the geographical distribution of plants and animals. (This could result in extinction if old habitats are destroyed and new habitats cannot be created because of human development.)