Name ______

Greenhouse Effect Lab

Purpose: To see how different surface conditions contribute to the temperature of earth’s atmosphere.

Experiment 1:

1. Tape an index card around the bulb of each thermometer to shield the bulb from the sun.

2. Tape each thermometer inside a jar so that the bulb doesn’t touch the bottom of the jar

3. Record the initial temperature on the thermometer in Table 1.

4. Cover the opening of one jar with plastic wrap. Secure the wrap with a rubber band. This jar will

model the greenhouse effect on Earth while the uncovered jar serves as a control.

5. Place the jars in a bright, sunny spot. Read both thermometers every 2 minutes for 10 minutes.

Record temperatures in table 1.

Figure 1Greenhouse Model Temperature Data

Observation Point / Temperature (Control Jar) / Temperature (Exp’t Jar)
Initial temperature in the sun
2 min
4 min
6 min
8 min
10 min

Consider/hypothesize the following: (Answer briefly)

1. Which will heat faster - the air over snow covered plains or the air over

newly plowed fields?

2. Which will heat faster – the air over the ocean or air over land?

3. How does the amount of moisture in the soil affect the rate of global

warming?

4. Does the temperature of the land affect the temperature of the air above

it?

Experiment 2:

Many scientists believe that the earth’s surface will heat up as greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere. But they don’t expect all parts of the Earth to warm equally. Make a hypothesis for each of the following conditions:

Conditions to test:

1. Light surfaces vs. Dark surfaces

2. Water vs. land

3. wet soil vs. dry soil

4. ice or snow

Light vs. dark

Observation Point / Temperature Light Jar / Temperature Dark Jar
Initial temperature in the sun
2 min
4 min
6 min
8 min
10 min

Water vs. land

Observation Point / Temperature Water Jar / Temperature Land
Initial temperature in the sun
2 min
4 min
6 min
8 min
10 min

Wet soil vs. dry soil

Observation Point / Temperature Wet Soil / Temperature Dry Soil
Initial temperature in the sun
2 min
4 min
6 min
8 min
10 min

Ice/Snow vs. normal

Observation Point / Temperature Ice Jar / Temperature Normal
Initial temperature in the sun
2 min
4 min
6 min
8 min
10 min

Conclusion:

1. Were any of your predictions correct? Explain these!

2. Explain how the melting ice caps will SPEED UP/INCREASE global warming? (relate to your

experiment)

3. Explain the purpose of the saran wrap, light color, and dark color in relation to the globe

and global warming. (Give me more than less!)

4. How would you relate growing human populations, decreasing water supplies, loss of

crops and global warming? Why would this matter?

5. Based on your results, as the planet gets warmer from the trapping of heat by the

greenhouse gases, what can you predict will happen to the land in relation to its moisture

content? Why would this matter?

Conclusion:

1. Where any of your predictions correct? Expand…

2. What does the saran wrap represent?

3. Why do the dark colors have a higher temperature than the light?

4. What on the planet might be dark that absorbs heat?

5. What on the planet might be light that reflects heat?

6. Compare how the melting ice caps speed up warming of earth and its oceans.