Visualize the Greenhouse Effect
Conduct an activity using an interactive visualization and associated exercises to explore and analyze how human activities may affect the natural carbon cycle, and to discuss the potential effects on the Earth’s climate.
- Next, take a classroom/laboratory activity “The Greenhouse Effect” to further explore the topic in an interesting manner.
- The tool will help you to visualize the molecular structure of carbon compounds (CO2, CH4), explore the effect of electromagnetic radiation on the molecules, and understand the role of greenhouse gases in climate change.
- Download PhET’s tool, “The Greenhouse Effect”, from the following link. Launch the tool.
- Go to the Photon Absorption pane.
- For each Atmospheric Gas (select options under Atmospheric Gases)—CH4, CO2, H20, N2, O2—observe the molecular structure and the effect of the Infrared Photon on the molecule. The slider on the Light Source can be adjusted to control the rate of emission of photons.
- Use the Build Atmosphere option to set the number of molecules of each atmospheric gas. Visualize the effect of the Infrared Photons on the molecules in the atmosphere.
- The absorption of infrared photons by gases such as CO2 and CH4 in the atmosphere results in the warming of the surface of the planet. This effect is called the greenhouse effect.
- Go to the Greenhouse Effect pane.
The Greenhouse Effect
- Select different scenarios (Atmosphere during…), observe the Greenhouse Gas Composition for each scenario, and the corresponding surface temperature shown in the thermometer on the left. Draw inferences.