Greenhouse lab report
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Greenhouse lab report An Investigation into the Greenhouse effect
The Purpose of This Lab
The purpose of this lab is to apply the scientific method to explore natural phenomena. Using the scientific method ensures that the student gains proficiency over hypothesis development, observation, experimentation, measurement, data analysis, and data presentation, which are standard in modern science.
Greenhouse lab report Scientific Question
Which atmospheric gas (CH4, CO2, H20, N2, or 02) is the best absorber of infrared photons?
Rank these gases from worst absorber to the best absorber.
Lab Background Information
| Table 1: Average composition of the Earth’s atmosphere up to an altitude of 25 km. |
||
| Gas Name | Chemical Formula | Percent Volume |
| Nitrogen | N2 | 78.08% |
| Oxygen | O2 | 20.95% |
| *Water | H2O | 0 to 4% |
| Argon | Ar | 0.93% |
| *Carbon dioxide | CO2 | 0.0360% |
| Neon | Ne | 0.0018% |
| Helium | He | 0.0005% |
| *Methane | CH4 | 0.00017% |
| Hydrogen | H2 | 0.00005% |
| *Nitrous oxide | N2O | 0.00003% |
| *Ozone | O3 | 0.000004% |
| * variable gases | ||
Greenhouse lab report
Figure 1:
- CH4 is a very strong greenhouse gas. Since 1750, methane concentrations in the atmosphere have increased by more than 150%. The primary sources for the additional methane added to the atmosphere (in order of importance) are: rice cultivation; domestic grazing animals; termites; landfills; coal mining; and, oil and gas extraction.
- The volume of CO2 has increased by over 35% in the last three hundred years. This increase is primarily due to human activities such as combustion of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other forms of land-use change. It is now fact—the increase is causing global warming through an enhancement of the greenhouse effect.
- H20 (water vapor) varies in concentration in the atmosphere both spatially and temporally. Water vapor has several very important functional roles on our planet. For example, the condensation of water vapor creates precipitation that falls to the Earth’s surface providing needed fresh water for plants and animals. Additionally, it helps warm the Earth’s atmosphere through the greenhouse effect.
- N2 is removed from the atmosphere and deposited at the Earth’s surface mainly by specialized nitrogen fixing bacteria, and by way oflightning through The addition of this nitrogen to the Earth’s surface soils and various water bodies’ supplies much needed nutrition for plant growth.
- O2 is exchanged between the atmosphere and life through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Photosynthesis produces oxygen when carbon dioxide and water are chemically converted into glucose with the help of sunlight.
- Remember, infrared radiation is heat.
Greenhouse lab report
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