Greenhouse Gases
Learn about the role of greenhouse gases in climate change.
In this activity, students will learn about the source and impact of common greenhouse gases. They will use foam balls and toothpicks to create chemical models of each greenhouse gas.
What You Need
Materials per pair of students
- 17 foam balls
- 20 toothpicks
- 4 different coloured markers (to be shared amongst groups)
- Greenhouse gas cards (in presentation slides)
Guide:
Presentation:
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe virtual outreach to youth.
What To Do
- Discuss the difference between weather and climate.
- Explain the implications of rising global temperature.
- Introduce greenhouse gases and their role in climate change.
- Distribute foam balls, toothpicks, markers and two greenhouse gas cards to each pair of students.
- Have students label their foam balls. Each pair should have:
- 5 H balls
- 8 O balls
- 2 C balls
- 2 N balls
- Start with showing students how to make a water molecule (H20). Instruct the students to attach two H atoms to an O atom using two toothpicks.
- Next, show students how to make a carbon dioxide molecule (C02) by attaching two O atoms to a C atom using 4 toothpicks.
- Explain the significance of carbon dioxide in climate change and how we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
- Show students how to make an ozone molecule (O3) by attaching three O atoms together with three toothpicks (two toothpicks between two O atoms and one toothpick between the middle O and other last O).
- Show students how to make a methane molecule (CH4) by attaching four H atoms to a C atom using four toothpicks.
- Discuss some of the potential sources of methane and how methane contributes to climate change.
- Show students how to make a nitrous oxide molecule (N2O) by attaching two N atoms to an O atom using four toothpicks (three toothpicks between the two N atoms and one toothpick between the N and O).
- Explain how nitrous oxide is produced naturally and its role in climate change.
- Lastly, discuss the importance of chloroflourocarbons or CFCs (students will not be making this molecule) and why Canada has banned CFCs.
- Discuss ways we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Discuss possible careers related to the topics discussed in today's workshop and what they will need (education, experience, etc.) to get into those careers.
Discovery
Greenhouse gases allow the sun's rays to pass through the atmosphere and warm the Earth, but they also prevent the heat from escaping the atmosphere. These gases, when in balance, help keep the Earth livable for humans, but with the increase in greenhouse gases there is now a "greenhouse effect" or a warming of the Earth that affects our climate.
The greenhouse gases discussed in this workshop include:
- Water Vapour (H2O): the gaseous form of water.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2): released during the burning of fossil fuels.
- Ozone: the ozone layer in the atmosphere helps to protect us from the sun's harmful rays. However, ozone can also trap a lot of heat when it is closer to the Earth.
- Methane (CH4): naturally produced by cows and other ungulates, it traps 30 times more heat than CO2.
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O): naturally produced in soil by bacteria, nitrous oxide is also released from factories and fertilizers. It not only traps heat but also damages the ozone layer.
- Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs): do not occur in nature, were man-made chemicals that were created for refrigeration. They were banned in Canada in 1996 because of their impact on the ozone layer.
Climate change is occurring at an alarming rate due to human activity. There are many things we can do to help lower greenhouse gas emissions and slow down climate change. Some examples include taking public transport or riding our bike instead of driving our car, eating plant-based foods, use less electricity, and reuse, repair and recycle as much as possible.
What's Happening?
Greenhouse gases allow the sun's rays to pass through the atmosphere and warm the Earth, but they also prevent the heat from escaping the atmosphere. These gases, when in balance, help keep the Earth livable for humans, but with the increase in greenhouse gases there is now a "greenhouse effect" or a warming of the Earth that affects our climate.
The greenhouse gases discussed in this workshop include:
- Water Vapour (H2O): the gaseous form of water.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2): released during the burning of fossil fuels.
- Ozone: the ozone layer in the atmosphere helps to protect us from the sun's harmful rays. However, ozone can also trap a lot of heat when it is closer to the Earth.
- Methane (CH4): naturally produced by cows and other ungulates, it traps 30 times more heat than CO2.
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O): naturally produced in soil by bacteria, nitrous oxide is also released from factories and fertilizers. It not only traps heat but also damages the ozone layer.
- Chloroflourocarbons (CFCs): do not occur in nature, were man-made chemicals that were created for refrigeration. They were banned in Canada in 1996 because of their impact on the ozone layer.
Why Does It Matter?
Climate change is occurring at an alarming rate due to human activity. There are many things we can do to help lower greenhouse gas emissions and slow down climate change. Some examples include taking public transport or riding our bike instead of driving our car, eating plant-based foods, use less electricity, and reuse, repair and recycle as much as possible.