Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise Laboratory

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The Process:

Take the required photos and complete all parts of the assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). On the “Lab Worksheet,” answer all of the questions in the “Lab Questions” section. Finally, transfer all of your answers and visual elements from the “Lab Worksheet” into the “Lab Report.” You will submit both the “Lab Report” and the “Lab Worksheet” through Waypoint.

The Assignment:

Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:

  • Read the Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise Investigation Manual and review The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.presentation video.
  • Complete Activities 1 and 2 using materials in your kit, augmented by additional materials that you will supply. Photograph each activity following these instructions:
    • When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
  • Activity 2, Step 12 will require you to make a line graph. Should you desire further guidance on how to construct a graph, it is recommended that you review the Introduction to Graphing lab manual. (You are not expected to complete any of the activities in this manual.)
  • Complete all parts of the Week 4 Lab Worksheet and answer all of the questions in the “Lab Questions” section.
  • Transfer your responses to the lab questions and data tables and your photos from the “Lab Worksheet” into the “Lab Report” by downloading the Lab Report Template.
  • Submit your completed “Lab Report” and “Lab Worksheet” through Waypoint.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

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ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise Investigation Manual GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE Table of Contents 2 Overview 2 Outcomes 2 Time Requirements 3 Background 10 Materials 10 Safety 11 Preparation 13 Activity 1 14 Activity 2 15 Submission 15 Disposal and Cleanup 16 Lab Worksheet 18 Lab Questions Overview In this lab, students will carry out several activities aimed at demonstrating consequences of anthropogenic carbon emissions, climate change, and sea level rise. To do this, students will first create a landform model based on a contour map. They will create models of sea level rise resulting from melting of sea ice and glacier ice and examine the effects of this potential consequence of climate change. Students will critically examine the model systems they used in the experiments. Outcomes • Explain the causes of increased carbon emissions and their likely effect on global climate. • Discuss positive and negative climate feedback. • Distinguish between glacial ice melt and oceanic ice melt. • Construct a three-dimensional model from a two-dimensional contour map. • Evaluate and improve a model system. Time Requirements Preparation: Part 1.......................................................................... 5 minutes, then let sit for 24 hours before starting Activity 1 Part 2 ..............................................................................2 hours Activity 1: Sea Ice and Sea Level Rise ...................................1 hour Activity 2: Glacier Ice and Sea Level Rise .........................2.5 hours Key Personal protective equipment (PPE) goggles gloves apron follow link to video photograph stopwatch results and required submit warning corrosion flammable toxic environment health hazard Made ADA compliant by NetCentric Technologies using the CommonLook® software 2 Carolina Distance Learning Background For the last 30 years, controversy has surrounded the ideas of global warming/climate change. However, the scientific concepts behind the theory are not new. In the 1820s, Joseph Fourier was the first to recognize that, given the earth’s size and distance from the sun, the planet’s surface temperature should be considerably cooler than it was. He proposed several mechanisms to explain why the earth was warmer than his calculations predicted, one of which was that the earth’s atmosphere might act as an insulator. Forty years later, John Tyndall demonstrated that different gases have different capacities to absorb infrared radiation, most notably methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor (H2O), all of which are present in the atmosphere. In 1896, Svante Arrhenius developed the first mathematical model of the effect of increased CO2 levels on temperature. His model predicted that a doubling of the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere would produce a 5–6 °C increase in temperature globally. Based on the level of CO2 production in the late 19th century, he predicted that this change would take place over thousands of years, if at all. Arrhenius used Arvid Högbom’s calculations of industrial CO2 emissions in his equations. Högbom thought that the excess CO2 would be absorbed by the ocean; others believed that the effect of CO2 was insignificant next to the much larger effect of water vapor. It was not until the late 1950s, when the CO2 absorption capacity of the ocean was better understood and significant increases in CO2 levels (a 10% increase from the 1850s to the 1950s) were being observed by G. S. Callendar, that Arrhenius’s calculations received renewed attention. The Atmosphere Weather is the condition of the atmosphere in a given location at a specific time. Climate is the prevailing weather pattern over a longer period of time (decades or centuries). The atmosphere is a thin shell (~100 km) of gases that envelops the earth. It is made up principally of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and argon (0.9%). Trace gases include methane (CH4), ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (e.g., NO2) and sulfur (e.g., SO2) (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Water vapor is sometimes included in the composition of gases in the atmosphere, but a lot of times it is not because its amount varies widely, from 0%–4%, depending on location. The concentration of gases in the atmosphere is not uniform either; the atmosphere consists of several concentric layers. Some gases are concentrated at certain altitudes. Water and continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 3 GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE Background continued carbon dioxide are concentrated near the earth’s surface, for instance, while ozone is concentrated 20 to 30 kilometers above the surface. Energy transfer from the sun at and near the surface of the earth is responsible for weather and climate. Solar radiation heats land, the oceans, and atmospheric gases differently, resulting in the constant transfer of energy across the globe. Several factors interact to cause areas of the earth’s surface and atmosphere to heat at different rates, a process called differential heating. The first is the angle at which the sun’s light hits the earth. When the sun is directly overhead, as it is at the equator, the light is direct. Each square mile of incoming sunlight hits one square mile of the earth. At higher latitudes, the sun hits at an angle, spreading the one square mile of sunlight over more of the earth’s surface. Thus, the intensity of the light is reduced and the surface does not warm as quickly (see Figure 2). This causes the tropics, near the equator, to be warmer and the poles to be cooler. Different materials heat and cool at different rates. Darker surfaces heat faster than lighter surfaces. Water has a high heat capacity, which is important on a planet whose surface is 72% water. Heat capacity is a measure of how much heat it takes to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree. The heat capacity of liquid water is roughly four times that of air. Water is slow to warm and slow to cool, relative to land. This also contributes to differential heating of the earth. Differential heating causes circulation in the atmosphere and in the oceans. Warmer fluids 4 Carolina Distance Learning Figure 2. are less dense and rise, leaving behind an area of low pressure. Air and water move laterally to distribute the change in pressure. This is critical in developing prevailing wind patterns and in cycling nutrients through the ocean. The Role of the Oceans The oceans play an important role in regulating the atmosphere as well. The large volume of the oceans, combined with the high heat capacity of water, prevent dramatic temperature swings in the atmosphere. The relatively large surface area of the oceans, ~70% of the surface of the earth, means that the oceans can absorb large amounts of atmospheric CO2. Greenhouse Gases The greenhouse effect is a natural process; continued on next page without it, the earth would be significantly cooler (see Figure 3). The sun emits energy in a broad range of wavelengths. Most energy from the sun passes through the atmosphere. Some is reflected by the atmosphere and some by the earth’s surface back into space, but much of it is absorbed by the atmosphere and the earth’s surface. Absorbed energy is converted into infrared energy, or heat. Oxygen and nitrogen allow incoming sunlight and outgoing thermal infrared energy to pass through. Water vapor, CO2, methane, and some trace gases absorb infrared energy; these are the greenhouse gases. After absorbing energy, the greenhouse gases radiate it in all directions, causing the temperature of the atmosphere and the earth to rise. Figure 3. Greenhouse gases that contribute to the insulation of the earth can be grouped into two categories: condensable and persistent. Persistent gases—such as CO2, methane, nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3)—exist in the environment for much longer periods of time than condensable gases. These times can range from a few years to thousands of years. The longer residence allows them to become well-mixed geographically. The amount of a condensable gas is temperature dependent. Water is the primary greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, but because it is condensable, it is not considered a forcing factor. Forcing factors (forcings) are features of the earth’s climate system that drive climate change; they may be internal or external to the planet and its atmosphere. Feedbacks are events that take place as a result of forcings. Carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases identified by Tyndall as having high heat capacities make up a relatively minor fraction of the atmosphere, but they have a critical effect on the temperature of the earth. Without the naturally occurring greenhouse effect, it is estimated that the earth’s average temperature would be approximately –18 °C (0 °F). The greenhouse effect also acts as a buffer, slowing both the warming during the day and the cooling at night. This is an important feature of the earth’s atmosphere. Without the greenhouse effect, the temperature would drop below the freezing point of water and the amount of water in the atmosphere would plummet, creating a feedback loop. A feedback loop is a mechanism that either enhances (positive continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 5 GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE Background continued feedback) or dampens (negative feedback) the effect that triggers it. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased from approximately 280 ppm to 411 ppm (see the Keeling Curve link). This change is attributed to the burning of fossil fuels—such as coal, oil, and natural gas—and changes in land use, i.e., cutting down large tracts of old-growth forests. Old-growth forests, like fossil fuels, sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Burning of either releases that carbon into the atmosphere in the form of CO2. Clearing old-growth forests has an additional impact on the carbon cycle because trees Figure 4. actively remove CO2 from the atmosphere to convert it to sugar and carbohydrates (see Figure 4). Removing long-lived trees and replacing them with short-lived crops and grasses reduces the time over which the carbon is removed from the atmosphere. Determining the exact effect that the increase in CO2 concentrations will have on atmospheric temperature is complicated by a variety of interactions and potential feedback loops. However, the overall impact is an ongoing temperature increase, known as global climate change (see Figure 5). Potential Feedback Loops Some examples of potential positive feedback loops that may enhance the effects of global climate change are: 1. Higher temperatures allow the atmosphere to absorb more water. More water vapor in the atmosphere traps more heat, further increasing temperature. 2. Melting of sea ice and glaciers, which are relatively light in color, to darker bodies or water decreases the albedo (the amount of energy reflected back into space) of the earth’s surface, increasing temperatures. Figure 6 shows an ice albedo feedback loop. 3. Warmer temperatures melt more of the arctic permafrost (frozen continued on next page 6 Carolina Distance Learning ground), releasing methane into the atmosphere, further raising temperatures. 4. Higher temperatures may result in greater rainfall in the North Atlantic, and melting of sea ice creates a warm surface layer of fresh Figure 5. water there. This would block formation of sea ice and disrupt the sinking of cold, salty water. It may also slow deep oceanic currents that carry carbon, oxygen, nutrients, and heat around the globe. Other factors may work as negative feedbacks, dampening the effects of global climate change: 1. An increase in CO2 level in the atmosphere leads to an increase in CO2 in the oceans, stabilizing CO2 levels. 2. Increased atmospheric temperatures and CO2 promote plant and algae growth, increasing absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere, lowering the CO2 levels there, and stabilizing temperature. 3. Warmer air, carrying more moisture, produces more snow at high latitudes. This increases the albedo of the earth’s surface, stabilizing temperature. Figure 6. 4. Warmer, moister air produces more clouds, which also increases the albedo of the earth’s surface, stabilizing temperature. The relative impact of each of these potential effects is a subject of debate and leads to the uncertainty in models used to predict future climate change resulting from an increase in anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gases. However, the consensus among climate scientists is that the positive feedbacks will likely overwhelm the negative ones. Possible Consequences Consequences of an increase in average temperature are difficult to predict on a regional continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 7 GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE Background continued scale; some, however, can be predicted with a relatively high degree of confidence. One of these is sea level rise. Sea level rise is the result of two processes. The first is the melting of glaciers and Antarctic continental ice. Although the melting of sea ice can have complex consequences due to the different densities of salt and fresh water, it will not cause sea level rise. Melting of glaciers and the deep ice over the Antarctic continent, however, can. The second cause of sea level rise, related to warmer temperatures, is that water expands as it warms. As the oceans warm, the water rises farther up the shore. Countries and cities that have large portions of their land area at or just above sea level may be in jeopardy. The loss of mountain glaciers is already causing changes in freshwater availability. As glaciers shrink, regions that depend on seasonal meltwater for hydroelectric power or for irrigation and drinking water are increasingly affected. Whereas rainfall may increase in these regions (even as the amount of snowmelt decreases), rainwater is considerably more difficult to control because it does not occur at as predictable a rate as meltwater. River systems may be overwhelmed by increased runoff rates, which can cause flooding. One of the richest agricultural regions in the world, California, depends heavily on snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada. One of the world’s most populous river valleys, the Indus, is equally dependent on snowmelt from the Himalayas. Less predictable consequences are the shifting of global weather patterns and the subsequent changes in natural populations. Areas previously ideal for agriculture may become too arid for 8 Carolina Distance Learning crop growth. Climes that are more northerly may experience an increase in productivity. These shifts will put stress on ecosystems as well. How resilient each community is to the change will vary with location and other pressures. Modeling The atmosphere and climate are highly complex systems that are challenging to understand and predict. To explore such complex systems, scientists frequently employ models. A model is a simplification of a complex process that isolates certain factors likely to be important. Sometimes a model can be a physical representation of something too big or too small to see, such as a model solar system. However, scientists frequently use mathematical equations derived from observed data to predict future conditions. With the addition of computers, mathematical climate equations can be linked together in increasingly sophisticated ways to model multiple factors in three dimensions, producing global climate models. Because of computing limitations, some factors must be simplified. How they are represented within the model can lead to a degree of error in the outcome predicted. Ultimately, the quality of all models is determined by their success in predicting events that have not yet taken place. Contour Maps To determine potential flood risks, scientists, engineers, and insurance companies use a number of tools, including historic river flow, storm tide and rainfall data, hydrological analysis, and topographic surveys. continued on next page Figure 7. A. B. Topographic surveys can be represented graphically as maps with contour lines (see Figure 7). Each contour line represents an elevation. Figure 7B shows the contour map from Figure 7A overlaid on the terrain it was mapped from. Elevations are marked on the map at set intervals, depending on the scale of the map. Small-scale maps might have a contour interval of five feet. Maps of a continent may have an interval of thousands of feet. All points connected by a given contour line are at the same elevation. Depressions in the landscape, such as craters and basins, are marked with hatched lines, as seen in Figure 8. Figure 8. In the following activities, you will be asked to use a contour map to generate a landform model. You will use this model to examine the consequences of sea level rise. www.carolina.com/distancelearning 9 GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE Materials Needed but not supplied: • Blank white paper • 2 Coins (dimes or • Water pennies) • Printout of page 12 • Timer • Freezer • Teaspoon • Salt, 3 tsp • Camera (or cell phone • Scissors capable of taking • Pencil photographs) Included in the materials kit: Plastic contain- Modeling clay, 2 pieces er with lid 2 Medicine cups Reorder Information: Replacement supplies for the Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise investigation can be ordered from Carolina Biological Supply Company, item number 580802. Call: 800.334.5551 to order. Food coloring Safety Needed from the equipment kit: Ruler Beaker, 250 mL Plastic cup Sharpie® marker 10 Carolina Distance Learning Wear your safety goggles, gloves, and lab apron for the duration of this investigation. Read all the instructions for these laboratory activities before beginning. Follow the instructions closely, and observe established laboratory safety practices, including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Do not eat, drink, or chew gum while performing the activities. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after performing each activity. Clean the work area with soap and water after completing the investigation. Keep pets and children away from lab materials and equipment. Preparation 1. Read through the activities. 2. Obtain all materials. Part 1: Making Ice At least 24 hours before beginning Activity 1, prepare two colored ice cubes: 1. Fill each medicine cup with tap water to the 20-mL mark. 2. Add 5 drops of food coloring to each cup. 3. Remove the lid from the plastic container, and place the cups on the lid to contain spills. Place the lid holding the two cups in the freezer. 4. Allow the mixtures to freeze for at least 24 hours. Part 2: Building a Model from a Contour Map 1. Print the contour map template (Figure 9, page 12), and cut out the island represented along the lowest contour line. This will eventually serve as the base of the island. 2. Take out one package of clay and knead the clay to soften it. Note: Although the clay is nontoxic, care should be taken when working with it because the coloring will frequently transfer to hands, clothes, and the work surface. Ensure you are wearing gloves and the lab apron while working. 3. Using your hand, flatten the clay into a thin layer. 4. Place the flattened clay on a piece of scrap paper or a plastic bag to prevent it from sticking to the work surface, and work or roll the clay into a thin 2–3 mm layer that is large enough to place the cutout on. (Try using the permanent marker as a rolling pin.) 5. Place the island template on the clay and, using a pencil, trace around it, cutting into the clay. 6. Remove the template from the clay. 7. Peel the clay off the work surface and place the inner, template-shaped piece into the plastic container. Gently press down on any ridges formed on the layer by the cutting, making the layer as flat as possible. 8. Work the remaining clay into a ball. 9. Trim the outer contour off the template. 10. Repeat Steps 3–9 for the second and third contours, placing each subsequent contour on top of the previous one, building the island model. 11. Roll out the fourth layer of clay. Place the template on the clay and cut the fourth contour out of the clay. This time, however, do not place the cutout contour on top of the previous one, but leave it on your work space. 12. Trim the paper along the hatched line. 13. Place the ring paper template you just cut out back down on the clay. 14. Trace the template with a pencil, cutting into the clay. This will form a ring from the fourth layer of clay. 15. Remove the thin ring of clay from your work paper and place it on the island model in the plastic container, completing your hill. You will use this container and landform in subsequent activities. continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 11 GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE Preparation continued Figure 9. Contour map template Contour interval = 25 m 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Kilometers 12 Carolina Distance Learning N ACTIVITY ACTIVITY 1 Sea Ice and Sea Level Rise 1. Measure 150 mL of water in a beaker, and then pour the water into the plastic cup. 2. Add 1 tsp of salt to the water in the cup, and stir until the salt is completely dissolved to prepare saltwater. 3. Remove 1 colored ice cube from its medicine cup (from Part 1 of the “Preparation” section), and place it in the container away from the island so that no part of it rests on the clay (see Figure 10). Leave the other colored ice cube in the freezer to use with Activity 2. Figure 10. completely covered. (You may not need all the saltwater.) 5. Estimate the depth of the water represented in the model based on the contours. Record that depth in Data Table 1 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. Measure the actual depth with a ruler. Record that depth in Data Table 1 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. 6. Place a coin, representing a house, on the north side of the island along the steepest slope, so that one edge just barely touches the edge of the water. 7. Place the other coin, representing another house, on the south side of the island, also just touching the water along a more gradual slope. These represent coastal cities with very different topography. 8. How do you think these two houses (coins) will be affected by water? Please hypothesize whether you think both houses will be underwater, neither will be underwater, only the north house will be underwater, or only the south house will be underwater. Describe your reasoning behind why you feel this way. Record this information in the “Hypotheses” section in your Lab Worksheet. 9. Note: In order to view the water layers as they are forming, it may be helpful to view the water through the side of the container with a piece of white paper behind it. 4. Pour the saltwater into the container, taking care not to pour water on the ice, until just the bottom two layers of the island are At 10-minute intervals, observe the model from above and from the side. You may see a layer of colored water developing. Estimate the depth of the water (in meters) using the contours, and measure the depth of the water (in centimeters) with a ruler. Record your results in Data Table 1 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 13 ACTIVITY ACTIVITY 1 continued Record that depth in Data Table 2 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. Measure the actual depth with a ruler. Record that depth in Data Table 2 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. 10. When the ice has completely melted, record the depth of the water in Data Table 1 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. 11. 12. Record your observations of how much of each coin is underwater in Data Table 1 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. Take a photograph looking down on the model, ensuring it shows the locations of the houses relative to the water. Upload this photograph to the “Photographs” section of the Lab Worksheet.NOTE! Remove the coins from the model. Without disturbing the island, gently pour the water out of the container into a sink. Flush the dyed water with running water for 30 seconds. ACTIVITY 2 Glacier Ice and Sea Level Rise 1. Measure 150 mL of water in a beaker, and pour the water into the plastic cup. 2. Add 1 tsp of salt to the water in the cup, and stir until the salt is completely dissolved to prepare saltwater. 3. Remove the remaining colored ice cube from its medicine cup, and place it on top of the island. 4. Pour the saltwater into the container, taking care not to pour water over the ice or the island, until just the bottom two layers of the island are completely covered. (You may not need all the saltwater.) 5. Estimate the depth of the water represented in the model based on the contours. 14 Carolina Distance Learning 6. Place a coin, representing a house, on the north side of the island along the steepest slope, so that one edge just barely touches the edge of the water. 7. Place the other coin, representing another house, on the south side of the island, also just touching the water along a more gradual slope. These represent coastal cities with very different topography. 8. How do you think these two houses (coins) will be affected by water? Please hypothesize whether you think both houses will be underwater, neither will be underwater, only the north house will be underwater, or only the south house will be underwater. Describe your reasoning behind why you feel this way. Record this information in the “Hypotheses” section in your Lab Worksheet. 9. At 30-minute intervals, observe the model from above and from the side. You may see a layer of colored water developing. Estimate the depth of the water (in meters) using the contours, and measure the depth of the water (in centimeters) with a ruler. Record your results in Data Table 2 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. 10. When the ice has completely melted, record the depth of the water in Data Table 2 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. continued on next page 11. Record your observations of how much of each coin is underwater in Data Table 2 of the “Observations/Data Tables” section of the Lab Worksheet. Take a photograph looking down on the model, ensuring it shows the locations of the houses relative to the water. Upload this photograph to the “Photographs” section of the Lab Worksheet. NOTE! 12. Use your data from Activities 1 and 2 to develop a line graph (either in Microsoft Excel or by hand) showing the estimated depth (in meters) versus the time (in minutes) to see the correlation between sea ice and glacier ice melting. The time is the independent variable and should be plotted on the horizontal axis. The estimated depth is the dependent variable and should be plotted on the vertical axis. Label your axes and title the graph. See the Introduction to Graphing lab manual for more specific detail on creating a graph with Microsoft Excel or by hand. Upload this graph to the “Calculations” section of the Lab Worksheet. Submission Submit the following two documents to Waypoint for grading: • Completed Lab Worksheet • Completed report (using the Lab Report Template) Disposal and Cleanup 1. Dispose of liquid mixtures down the drain with the water running. Allow the faucet to run for a few minutes to dilute the solutions. 2. Rinse and dry the lab equipment from the equipment kit, and return the materials to your equipment kit. 3. Dispose of the rinsed clay and any other materials from the materials kit in the household trash. 4. Sanitize the work space, and wash your hands thoroughly. www.carolina.com/distancelearning 15 ACTIVITY Lab Worksheet Hypotheses Activity 1. Activity 2. Observations/Data Tables Data Table 1. Sea Ice Time (min) Estimated Depth (m) Measured Depth (cm) Observations 0 10 20 30 40 50 melted continued on next page 16 Carolina Distance Learning Data Table 2. Glacier Ice Time (min) Estimated Depth (m) Measured Depth (cm) Observations 0 30 60 90 120 150 melted Calculations Photographs Activity 1. Activity 2. www.carolina.com/distancelearning 17 ACTIVITY Lab Questions Please answer the following entirely in your own words and in complete sentences: Introduction 1. Background—What is important to know about the topic of this lab? Use at least one outside source (other than course materials) to answer this question. Cite the source using APA format. Answers should be 5–7 sentences in length. 2. Outcomes—What is the main purpose of this lab? 3. Hypotheses—What was your hypothesis for Activity 1? What was your hypothesis for Activity 2? Identify each hypothesis clearly, and explain your reasoning. Materials and Methods 4. Using your own words, briefly describe what materials and methods you used in each of the activities. Your answer should be sufficiently detailed so that someone reading it would be able to replicate what you did. Explain any measurements you made. Discussion 5. Based on the results of each activity, explain whether you accepted or rejected your hypotheses and why. 6. What important information have you learned from this lab? Use at least one outside source (scholarly for full credit) to answer this question. Cite the source using APA format. Answers should be 5–7 sentences in length. 7. What challenges did you encounter while doing this lab? Name at least one. 8. How might a scientist create a more realistic physical model to show the effects of global climate change on sea level rise? What factors might be changed? Literature Cited 9. List the references you used to answer these lab questions. (Use APA format, and alphabetize by the last name.) Now copy and paste your answers into the Lab Report Template provided. Include the data tables and photographs. You may wish to make minor edits to enhance the flow of your resulting lab report. 18 Carolina Distance Learning NOTES www.carolina.com/distancelearning 19 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise Investigation Manual www.carolina.com/distancelearning 866.332.4478 Carolina Biological Supply Company www.carolina.com • 800.334.5551 ©2018 Carolina Biological Supply Company CB781611806 ASH_V2.1 Introduction to Graphing Investigation Manual INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHING Table of Contents 2 Overview 2 Objectives 2 Time Requirements 3 Background 7 Materials 7 Safety 7 Activity 9 Activity 2 11 Activity 3 Overview Scientific investigation requires the analysis and interpretation of data. Knowing how to graph and what the different components mean allow for an accurate analysis and understanding of data. In this investigation you will practice creating graphs and use some simple statistical tools to analyze graphs and datasets. Objectives • Create graphs from datasets, both by hand and electronically. • Analyze the data in the graphs. • Compare the slope of trendlines to interpret the results of an experiment. Time Requirements Activity 1: Graphing by Hand ......................................... 20 minutes Activity 2: Computer Graphing ....................................... 20 minutes Activity 3: Linear Regression .......................................... 20 minutes Key Personal protective equipment (PPE) goggles gloves apron follow link to video photograph stopwatch results and required submit warning corrosion flammable toxic environment health hazard Made ADA compliant by NetCentric Technologies using the CommonLook® software 2 Carolina Distance Learning Background Science requires the collection of data to test hypotheses in order to see if it supports or does not support ideas behind the experiment. Collecting data creates a record of observations from experiments that is needed to ensure the ideas in a hypothesis are accurate. This allows the scientist to better understand the processes they are investigating. Sharing data is critical since it allows other scientists to examine the experimental setting and draw conclusions based on the data obtained. It also allows for the replication and comparison of data obtained in the experiment to confirm results and conclusions. This will aid in the understanding of a scientific principle. The aim of this experiment was to examine growth rates of the two plant types in comparison with each other in order to find out which grows under a certain set of environmental circumstances. When looking at an experiment, the experimenter is typically looking at variables that will impact the result. A variable is something that can be changed within an experiment. An independent variable is something the experimenter has control over and is able to change in the experiment. Time can be a common independent variable as the total duration of the experiment can be changed or the intervals at which data is collected can be changed. A dependent variable changes based on its association with an independent variable. In the data from Table 1, the measured height of the plant was the dependent variable. The aim of Table 1, shows data from a study of plants. Two types of plants, wheat and rye, were grown over 8 weeks, and the height of the plants were measured in centimeters (cm). Table 1. Height in cm Week Wheat Plant 1 Wheat Plant 2 Wheat Plant 3 Rye Plant 1 Rye Plant 2 Rye Plant 3 1 2.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 2 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 3 5.0 5.0 3.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 4 6.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 5 7.0 7.0 5.0 3.0 4.0 3.0 6 9.0 8.0 7.0 3.0 4.0 3.0 7 10.0 9.0 7.0 4.0 5.0 4.0 8 10.0 10.0 7.0 5.0 6.0 5.0 continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 3 INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHING Background continued experiments is to determine how an independent variable impacts the dependent variable. This data can then be used to test the hypothesis which has been made at the beginning of the experiment. Data can be presented in different ways. One way is to organize it into a table as it is being collected. When working with a limited amount of data points, this can be the best option; for larger studies, the data in data tables can be overwhelming and difficult to interpret. To help see the trends in large data sets, a scientist may rely on summary statistics and graphical representations of the data. Summary Statistics Summary statistics are methods of taking many data points and combining them into just a few numbers. The most common summary statistic is an average, or arithmetic mean. An average is the sum of a group of numbers, divided by how many numbers were in the set. To find the arithmetic mean you find the sum of the data to be averaged and divide by the number of data points. For instance: If we wanted to find the average wheat plant height in week 8 from the above data we would perform the following calculations: Equation 1: In this equation, x1 indicates the first number in a data set, x2 would be the second number, and so on. xn is the last number in the set. The “n” is the number of items in the set. So a dataset with 8 numbers would go up to x8. This is the 4 Carolina Distance Learning same “n” that the sum of the numbers is divided by. Using equation 1 for the wheat plant height in week 8 would give the following equation. Since there are 3 wheat plants in week 8, there are 3 numbers that would be added together (x1 x2 x3) divided by the number of plants (3). In science it is important to know how much variation is found in the data collected. The most common measurement of variation is the standard deviation. To calculate the standard deviation: 1. Calculate the average of a data set. 2. Calculate the difference between each data point and the average. 3. Square the result. 4. Find the average of these squares. This yields the variance (σ2). 5. Taking the square root of the variance gives the standard deviation (SD) as seen in Table 2. The standard deviation is an indication of the distribution of your data. In the example above, the average height of the plants was 9 cm. The standard deviation was 1.4 cm. Statistically this indicates that 68% of the data was within 1.4 cm of the average. In this way it is a useful tool to gauge how close the results on an experiment are to each other. continued on next page Table 2. Height at Week 8 (cm) Difference from Average Difference Squared Wheat Plant 1 10 10 – 9 = 1 (1)2 = 1 Wheat Plant 2 10 10 – 9 = 1 (1)2 = 1 Wheat Plant 3 7 7 – 9 = -2 (-2)2 = 4 Average Variance Standard Deviation Interpreting Graphs in Scientific Literature and Popular Press Graphs are an excellent way to summarize and easily visualize data. Care must be taken when interpreting data from a graph or chart. Information can be lost in summarization and this may be critical to our interpretation. For example, Figure 1. in Figure 1, the average age of 4 groups of people was graphed using a bar graph. A bar graph is most useful when directly comparing data as it allows for differences to be more easily seen at a glance. Looking at Figure 1, it is tempting to conclude that the difference between Groups 1 and 2 is much greater than between Groups A and B. However, if we look at a graph of all the data that went into the average age, we can see that the variance in Groups 1 and 2 is much greater than in Groups A and B (Figure 2). This information can be conveyed in the graph by the use of error bars. Error bars are a graphical representation of the variance in a dataset. continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 5 INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHING Background continued The chart below uses the standard deviations from the data to show the variance of the data. There are multiple ways to represent variance, so it is important that the caption of the figure tells the reader what measure is being represented by the error bars (Figure 3). Standard deviation is highly influenced by outliers, or data points that are highly unusual compared to the rest of the data, so scientists frequently use confidence intervals to represent variance on graphs. Confidence intervals express the probability that a data point will fall within the error bars, so error bars with a 99% confidence interval say that 99% of the data will fall between the error bars. Confidence intervals are typically published at 99%, 95%, or 90%. The main point is that when error bars overlap, as they do when comparing Group 1 with Group 2, it is not strong evidence that there is a difference between the two groups, even if the averages are far apart. A real difference is more likely between Group A and Group B. 6 Carolina Distance Learning Figure 2. Figure 3. ACTIVITY Materials Needed but not supplied: • Graphing Software (Excel®, Open Office®, etc.) • Printer to print graphing paper Safety There are no safety concerns for this lab. ACTIVITY 1 A Graphing by Hand A common method to look at data is to create an x,y scatter graph. In this first activity, you will create two graphs of the data from Table 1. 1. Print 2 copies of the graphing sheet found on page 13. 2. Title the first graph “Wheat plant height by week.” 3. Title the second graph “Rye plant height by week” and set aside for later. 4. At the bottom of the graph there is a space to label the x-axis. The x-axis runs from left to right, with smaller numbers starting on the left and the numbers increasing as you move to the right. 5. At the left of the graph there is a space to label the y-axis. The y-axis runs from the bottom to top of the graph, with smaller numbers starting at the bottom and the size of the numbers increasing as you move up. 6. You will now label each axis and decide which pieces of data will be our x-values and our y-values, respectively. 7. One method to determine which data should be your x versus y axis is to think about the goal of the experiment. The y-axis should be for data that you measured for, the dependent variable. In the data set in Table 1, the scientists were measuring the height each week. This means that the height is the dependent variable. 8. Label the y-axis “Height (cm).” It is important to always include the unit of measurement on the axis. In this case the unit is centimeters (cm). continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 7 ACTIVITY ACTIVITY 1 continued 9. The x-axis is the independent variable, the parameter of the experiment that can be controlled. In this experiment the scientists were controlling when they measured the height. 10. Label the x-axis “Time (weeks).” This indicates that a measurement was taken each week. 11. Locate the lower left corner of the graph. This will be the origin of your graph. The origin on a graph is where both the values of x and the values of y are 0. If the numbers in a data set are all positive (i.e. there are no negative numbers) it is a best practice to set the origin in the lower left corner. This allows the view of the data to be maximized. 12. The axes then need to be numerically labeled. Referring to Figure 4, label each axis from 0 to 14 along the darker lines. Figure 4. 8 Carolina Distance Learning 13. Starting with the “Wheat Plant 1” data in Table 1, count over 1 (for week 1) on the x-axis for time, then count up to 2 from there to indicate 2 cm. Place a dot at this point 14. Repeat this process for the remaining data points for “Wheat Plant 1.” Your graph should now look like Figure 4. 15. Using this same process, graph the data for “Wheat Plant 2” and “Wheat Plant 3” on the same graph. You will need to be able to distinguish the data from each set from each other. Use different colors, or symbols to make this differentiation. 16. When complete, compare your graph to Figure 5. Your exact colors or symbols may be different, but the data should be in the same locations. continued on next page Figure 5. ACTIVITY 1 continued 17. You can now create a legend. The legend is what shows another person what the points on your graph represent. Refer to Figure 5 for an example legend for this graph. 18. Create your legend. It is below the x-axis label as in Figure 5. The legend can be anywhere on the graph, so long as it does not interfere with the reading of the graph. 19. Create your own graph of the data for “Rye plant height by week.” Use the process outlined in this activity to graph all of the data for each plant. ACTIVITY 2 A Computer Graphing Graphing by hand can be useful for observing trends in small data sets. However, as the quantity of the data grows it can be useful to graph using a computer. This activity will give a general outline of how to graph on a computer. Please note Microsoft Excel® was used to generate the figures for this activity. Your exact software may look different or have slightly different labeling than what you will see here. You may need to refer to the documentation of your exact program to determine how to perform a particular step. specific cell (the box where information can be typed.) For example the upper left cell is A1 representing column A, row 1. Figure 6. 3. Starting in cell A1 type “Week.” In cell B1 type “Wheat Plant 1.” Continue across putting each title in a new cell in the first row. 4. Move to row 2. Type the corresponding numbers under the correct column. 5. Continue until your table looks like Table 1. 6. Select the data for Week thru Wheat Plant 3. You can do this by clicking on cell A1 and then dragging down and over to cell D9. All of the data and titles should be selected for the wheat plant (Figure 7). Figure 7. In this activity you will graph the data from Table 1 into your computer. 1. Open a new workbook. This will open a new sheet (Figure 6). 2. You will see a large sheet with lettered columns and numbered rows. These letters and numbers can be used to refer to a continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 9 ACTIVITY ACTIVITY 2 continued Figure 8. NOTE: The next several steps may vary greatly depending on the exact software you are using, but the goal is the same. 7. Find the menu labeled “Insert.” 8. Among the “Charts” find “Scatter,” or “x,y Scatter,” and click it. 9. A basic graph similar to Figure 8 should appear. 10. Edit the chart title so that it matches the one created in Activity 1. This can usually be accomplished by clicking (or double clicking) on the title and then typing. 11. You can then add a label to each axis. This step in particular is very different depending on your software. You will typically be looking for a menu option titled “Axis Title.” You will need to do this twice, once for each axis. Your graph should now look like Figure 9. You will use this graph again in Activity 3. 10 Carolina Distance Learning Figure 9. ACTIVITY 3 A Linear Regression Typically if you are graphing using an x,y scatter plot you are looking for trends (a recognizable pattern) in your data. In this activity you are looking to see if there is a trend in height of the plants over time. More specifically, you are looking for the rate at which the plants grew. This rate can be determined from the graph produced in Activity 2. 1. In your graph from Activity 2, click on a point from the Wheat Plant 1 dataset. 2. Right-click on the data point and select “Add Trendline.” 3. Select “Linear.” 4. Select “Display Equation on chart.” 5. The equation displayed on the graph should read y = 1.2381x + 0.9286. Write this in “Wheat Plant 1 trendline equation” in the Data Table. This is the equation of the line. In its general form is y = mx + b . The “m” symbol stands for the slope of the line. The slope is how far the line rises (y) over a certain distance (x.) The “b” is called the y-intercept; this is the point at which the line crosses the y-axis. For the equation from step 6, this would mean that “1.2381” would be the slope and “0.9286” would be the y-intercept. This equation allows you to find the length of a plant at a certain time. For example, if you wanted to determine the height of the plant in week 9, based on this equation the estimated height would be 12.0715 cm. Y = 1.2381 * 9 + 0.9286 Y = 12.0715 cm Since the slope is calculated from it uses the same units as the dataset. In this case, this means that the slope has units of . The slope then means that on average, Wheat Plant 1 grew 1.2381 centimeters per week. The y-intercept indicates that at week 0 the plant was likely 0.9286 cm tall. However, in this experiment the plants were all grown from seeds, so at week 0 they should have a height of 0. This information can be added to a trendline without having to add to a dataset. 6. Right click on the trendline and select “Format Trendline.” 7. Select “Set Intercept” and set the number to 0. This is setting the y-intercept to 0. You can do this whenever you know the exact value of your dependent variable at the 0 for the x-axis. 8. Write the new trendline in “Wheat Plant 1 trendline corrected” in the Data Table. 9. Using the same procedure, create a corrected trendline for each additional wheat plant on the graph. Write the corrected equation for each in the data table. 10. Based on the corrected trend lines, which wheat plant grew fastest? Record your answer in the data table. continued on next page www.carolina.com/distancelearning 11 ACTIVITY ACTIVITY 3 continued Data Table. Wheat Plant 1 trendline equation Wheat Plant 1 trendline corrected Wheat Plant 2 trendline corrected Wheat Plant 3 trendline corrected Wheat plant with fastest growth continued on next page 12 Carolina Distance Learning Label (y-axis): _________________________________________________ Title: __________________________________________________________ Label (x-axis): _________________________________________________ www.carolina.com/distancelearning 13 NOTES 14 Carolina Distance Learning www.carolina.com/distancelearning 15 Introduction to Graphing Investigation Manual www.carolina.com/distancelearning 866.332.4478 Carolina Biological Supply Company www.carolina.com • 800.334.5551 ©2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company CB781021610 Running head: NAME OF LAB 1 Name of Lab Your Name SCI 207: Our Dependence Upon the Environment Instructor’s Name Date Running head: NAME OF LAB 2 *This template will enable you to turn your lab question responses into a polished Lab Report. Simply copy paste your answers to the lab questions, as well as all data tables, graphs, and photographs, in the locations indicated. Before you submit your Lab Report, it is recommended that you run it through Turnitin, using the student folder, to ensure protection from accidental plagiarism. Please delete this purple text before submitting your report. Name of Lab Introduction Copy and paste your response to Question One here. Copy and paste your response to Question Two here. Copy and paste your response to Question Three here. Materials and Methods Copy and paste your response to Question Four here. Results Copy and paste your completed Data Tables here. Copy and paste any Graphs here. Include a numbered figure caption below it, in APA format. Copy and paste your Photographs here, in the order they were taken in the lab. Include numbered figure captions below them, in APA format. Discussion Copy and paste your response to Question Five here. Copy and paste your response to Question Six here. Copy and paste your response to Question Seven here. Copy and paste your response to Question Eight here. References Copy and paste your response to Question Nine here. ACTIVITY Lab Worksheet Hypotheses Activity 1. Activity 2. Observations/Data Tables Data Table 1. Sea Ice Time (min) Estimated Depth (m) Measured Depth (cm) Observations 0 10 20 30 40 50 melted continued on next page 16 Carolina Distance Learning Data Table 2. Glacier Ice Time (min) Estimated Depth (m) Measured Depth (cm) Observations 0 30 60 90 120 150 melted Calculations (paste your line graph from Activity 2, step 12 here) www.carolina.com/distancelearning 17 Photographs Activity 1. Activity 2. Lab Questions Please answer the following entirely in your own words and in complete sentences: Introduction 1. Background—What is important to know about the topic of this lab? Use at least one outside source (other than course materials) to answer this question. Cite the source using APA format. Answers should be 5–7 sentences in length. [Write your answers here] 2. Outcomes—What was the main purpose of this lab? [Write your answers here] 3. Hypotheses—What were your hypotheses for Activity 1? What were your hypotheses for Activity 2? Identify each hypothesis clearly, and explain your reasoning. [Write your answers here] Materials and Methods 4. Using your own words, briefly describe what materials and methods you used in each of the activities. Your answer should be sufficiently detailed so that someone reading it would be able to replicate what you did. Explain any measurements you made. [Write your answers here] Discussion 5. Based upon the results of each activity, explain whether you accepted or rejected your hypotheses and why. [Write your answers here] 6. What important information have you learned from this lab? Use at least one outside source (scholarly for full credit) to answer this question. Cite the source using APA format. Answers should be 5–7 sentences in length. [Write your answers here] 7. What challenges did you encounter when doing this lab? Name at least one. [Write your answers here] 8. How might a scientist create a more realistic physical model to show the effects of global climate change on sea level rise? What factors might be changed? [Write your answers here] Literature Cited 9. List the references you used to answer these questions. (Use APA format, and alphabetize by the last name.) [Write your answers here] Now copy and paste your answers into the Lab Report provided. Include the data tables and photographs. You may wish to make minor edits to enhance the flow of your resulting lab report. www.carolina.com/distancelearning 19
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Explanation & Answer

Attached.

Running Head: GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE

Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise
Student’s Name
SCI 207: Our Dependence upon the Environment
Instructor’s Name
Date

1

GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE

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Introduction

Background Information

Sea level rise is a significant indicator of the effects of climate change on the system. The
earth's climate is at an unstable state since history due changes in the position of orbit causing a
variation in the amount of solar energy the planet receives. The solar energy interferes with most
chemical reactions on the surface causing emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
According to NASA, the seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat ark the modern climate
associated with the changes in the sea level. The old research by scientist stated that release of
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere causing an increase in temperature that causes the ice to melt.
The melting ice flows into the sea increasing the water level, an effect associated with catastrophic
impacts (Neumann, et al, 2015). Technological advances such as Earth-orbiting satellites play
significant roles in the study of changes in the globe and consequences such as sea rise. The thin
layer of the atmosphere is at a degrading state because of the increased chemical reactions caused
by the greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. Oceans play significant roles in the
regulation of temperatures by absorbing atmospheric gases majorly carbon dioxide. According to a
publication by the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" global warming resulting
from greenhouse gases can cause a rise in the sea levels even after years of their cleaning from the
atmosphere.

Outcomes

The Laboratory experiment aims at evaluating the effects of climate change on the sea and
glacial rise. The rise of sea water level records since history and arguments on the exact cause is

GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE

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still underway. The primary suspect in the experiment is global warming resulting from the
accumulation of greenhouses which lead to the melting of the glacier. In the experiment, the ice
cubes melt to form water that increases the water level which erodes the island as evident in the
depth variations. The expected outcomes are that the depth will rise when the ice cubes melt, and a
larger section of the house structures represented by coins in the experiment will get submerged
under the water.

Hypothesis

Activity 1: The two houses will not be in the water at the point where the ice cubes will melt
because of the modified effect of sea rise. The salt water increases to cover just a portion of the
house structures that represent the coastal cities and finally ends up leaving only parts of the houses
under water.

Activity 2: The two houses will be underwater at the point of melting of the ice cube. The
effect of the glacier are intense are significantly contribute to sea level rise. Glacier refers to macromineral rocks that act as a water reservoir to the ecosystem, and thus complete melting means and
drastic increase in the sea level. The water is expected to rise and cover most building near the
coastal line and islands.

Materials and Methods

The materials used targeted at making an island, sea model and included, beakers, medicines
cups, food color, writing stationaries, clay, salt, a freezer, and a timer.

GREENHOUSE GASES AND SEA LEVEL RISE

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Prepared ice cubes twenty-four hours before beginning the first activity in the experiment.
Filled medicine cups at 20ml with tap water and added five drops of food in each cup. Placed the
cups on a plastic lid to avoid spills and put in a freezer for twenty-four hours. The second part of the
procedure involved preparation of model map extracted from a contour map. Cut out an Island
represented in the printed contour map template to serve as the base. Using a package of wellkneaded clay, made a thin layer (3mm) and placed it on a plastic paper to avoid sticking on the
workbench. Set the printed template on the earth and traced around it using a pencil. Cut and
removed the model from the clay and placed it into a plastic container. Worked the remaining clay
package into a ball and repeated the modeling steps for the second and third contours. Prepared an
Island by placing the shapes on each other for the first template. Using a pencil and a piece of paper,
traced the template into clay to form a ring on the fourth contour.

Prepared the sea ice and level rise model by measuring 150ML of water into a beaker and
poured into a plastic cup. One teaspoon of salt was added to form a solution a resemblance of the
sea water. Removed a colored ice cube from the freezer and placed it in the container and poured
the salt water without interfering with the ice cube state. Covered the bottom layers of the Island
completely using the salty water, estimated and recorded the depth of water from the contour. Using
a ruler, measured the actual depth and recorded against the estimated figure. On the north and south
sides of the island placed a coin to represent a housing structure on the steepest slope wi...


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