Resource produced in collaboration with MEI
Brief overview of session ‘logic’
Mathematical opportunities offered
Download the resources
Resource produced in collaboration with MEI
Brief overview of session ‘logic’
Mathematical opportunities offered
Download the resources
Resource produced in collaboration with MEI
Brief overview of session ‘logic’
Mathematical opportunities offered
Download the resources
In this experiment the students will look at the effect of Particulate matter or other substances that have landed on ice and test how this can speed up the melting of ice by affecting its albedo. Particulate Matter and aerosols are made up of a variety of pollutants, some of them enhancing and some counteracting the greenhouse effect when they are in the atmosphere. But once they land on snow or ice, they will promote the melting of these surfaces.
9.2.3. Properties and effects of atmospheric pollutants
Particulate Matter is a pollutant that absorbs at many different wavelengths, some act as greenhouse gases and others actually reflect more light than they absorb, leading to a reduction in the temperature of the atmosphere. When they (or Black Carbon in particular) deposit on snow and glaciers, they change the albedo (the reflectivity) of the snow surface. This controls the heat balance at the surface of snow and ice surfaces as the darker colour of the ice will lead to it melting faster.
Particulate Matter is solid particles that are so small that they float in the atmosphere and can be measured as a concentration in the atmosphere. They are formed from incomplete combustion of wood and fossil fuels. PM smaller than 2.5 microns (2.5 x 10-9 m), PM2.5 , is much smaller than the width of a human hair and can enter into our lungs and be carried into the blood system and cause damage to the brain and the cardiovascular system.
Uncertainties to do with the quantities of the different particles in the atmosphere (and the fact that particles enhance cloud formation) are part of the biggest current uncertainty in climate models.
This experiment can be carried out in pairs or larger groups and takes about 20 minutes.
Follow the notes in the student worksheet, allowing more time to discuss what particulate matter is, what is albedo and how sunlight is absorbed differently by different coloured substances.
Application to the World’s Glaciers:
Glaciers around the world are more exposed to particulate matter now than they ever were before the industrial revolution and the increase in industry and cars over the last century. Covering snow and ice with a dark layer changes the albedo and they absorb more heat and melt quicker than the pure ice.
Particulates are tiny solid or liquid particles that are present in the atmosphere. They are sometimes termed aerosols when they float in the air. Examples are dust, spores and pollen, salt from sea spray, volcanic ash and smoke. Black carbon (elemental carbon (soot) or organic carbon) from incomplete combustion in the atmosphere can actually absorb incoming solar radiation and cool the Earth. However, when these particles land on ice, the absorption of radiation will enhance the ice´s melting.
Iain Stewart BBC black ice experiment
UN Environment programme, 2019: Glaciers are melting and air pollution is the cause
See bar chart of radiative forcing of various gases or particulates in Fig 14.4 Ramaswami et al., 2019
Increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere are buffered by the oceans, as they absorb roughly 30 % of this CO2. The negative consequences of this are that the oceans become more acidic. The CO2 reacts with water and carbonate to form carbonic acid, reducing the available carbonate that shellfish, crabs and corals combine with calcium to make hard shells and skeletons.
Chemicals | Apparatus |
Bicarbonate of soda (1/2 teaspoon) | 2 x 500 ml Beakers |
White vinegar (1 teaspoon) | Small plastic or paper cup (100 ml) |
Indicator: Bromothymol blue (Diluted with water: 8 ml bromothymol blue (0.04% aqueous) to 1 litre of water) | Masking tape |
2 x Petri dishes or lid for large beakers | |
Safety glasses and lab coat | |
Teaspoon or 5 ml measuring cylinder | |
Two sheets of white paper |
Corals and shellfish can be affected by ocean acidification, making it harder to create their shells, which will affect other fish up through the food web.
Corals and fish can be affected by slight changes in the temperature of the water and the next experiment also shows the effect of temperature increase on CO2 absorption, creating a positive feedback, a knock-on effect.
If the oceans are absorbing large quantities of water, and if we know the oceans are warming due to global warming, what is the effect of warmer oceans on CO2 absorption? Let´s check with this experiment that shows how much CO2 will dissolve in the water and how much will be in its gaseous form above the water.
|
Chemicals |
Apparatus |
|
Water |
2 x 500 ml measuring cylinders |
|
Effervescent fizz tablets (e.g. Alka Seltzer) |
2 x Petri dishes that fit over the cylinders |
|
Ice (optional) |
Bowl or container of at least 5 litres |
|
Stand and clamp to hold cylinders |
|
|
Water heater |
|
|
Funnel (optional) |
Experiment number | WARM water (volume of air/ml) | Experiment number | COLD water (volume of air/ml) |
1 |
| 1 |
|
2 |
| 2 |
|
3 |
| 3 |
|
4 |
| 4 |
|
AVERAGE volume |
| AVERAGE volume |
|
Question: Does more CO2 escape from warm or cold water?
If more has escaped from the liquid, the water cannot absorb as much CO2.
Extension Question: With global warming and warmer oceans, will the oceans be able to absorb more or less CO2 than before?
What is the perfect pH of the oceans? Is it different depending on which ocean and whether it is in the deep ocean or the shallower coastal areas?
Increased CO2 levels in the atmosphere are buffered by the oceans, as they absorb roughly 30 % of this CO2. The negative consequences of this are that the oceans become more acidic. The CO2 reacts with water and carbonate to form carbonic acid, reducing the available carbonate that shellfish, crabs and corals combine with calcium to make hard shells and skeletons.
4.2.4 The pH scale
9.1.2 The Earth´s early atmosphere
9.2.3. Global climate change
Na2CO3 + 2 CH3COOH → 2 CH3COONa + CO2 + H2O (Bicarbonate of soda reacts with vinegar to form carbon dioxide)
In this experiment the students will initiate a reaction that produces CO2 in an enclosed water-air environment. The CO2 formed will be absorbed into the water, making it more acidic and changing the colour of the indicator. The experiment can be carried out in pairs and takes about 15 minutes. An additional experiment to test the solubility of CO2 in warm and cold water can be carried out afterwards, explaining how global warming can affect marine CO2 absorption.
See the student worksheets for the detailed preparation: Ocean acidification and CO2 Absorption
The beaker is like an enclosed ocean-atmosphere and the CO2 from the reaction will equilibrate between the water and the air. Our oceans absorb more CO2 when the concentration in the atmosphere increases. But how much CO2 can they keep absorbing? Will they reach a saturation point?
Corals and shellfish are affected by ocean acidification, making it harder to create their shells, which will affect other fish up through the food web. Global warming caused by the increased CO2 effects the corals and fish as only slight changes in the temperature of the water can have effects throughout the ocean´s food chain. So there is a knock-on effect or a positive-feedback from the ocean heating and the ocean acidification.
If you want to illustrate more about the feedbacks and this double impact, the next experiment demonstrates the effect of a temperature increase on CO2 absorption, thus limiting the water´s capacity to absorb as much CO2.
This experiment allows students to determine how much CO2 dissolves in warm or cold water.
See the student worksheet for the detailed preparation.
Application to the World’s Oceans:
More CO2 has escaped from the warm water, showing that it cannot absorb as much CO2. Warmer oceans will not be as effective buffers at removing CO2 from the atmosphere. However, this phenomenon does prevent these warmer oceans from being as acidic.
Have a look at these two glaciers, one has fresh snow over the glacier and the other is a dry glacier in summer with accumulated deposits of dust and Black Carbon from air pollution. Which one do you think is more vulnerable to melting? Does a bright white surface reflect more or less light than a darkened surface?
Fresh clean snow on the Silvretta glacier, Switzerland (Zoë Fleming)
Dirty ice on the Fox Glacier, New Zealand (Sylvia Knight)
Particulate Matter is solid particles that are so small that they float in the atmosphere. They are formed from incomplete combustion of wood and fossil fuels. When they are smaller than 2.5 microns (2.5 x 10-9 m, an eight the width of a human hair), this PM2.5 can enter into our lungs and be carried into the blood system and cause damage to the brain and the cardiovascular system.
When Particulate Matter (or Black Carbon, which is more or less soot or pure Carbon) settles on glaciers and snow it darkens the colour of the snow and hence changes the how much of the Sun’s light the snow reflects. In this experiment we will check to see whether dirty or clean ice melts faster.
Chemicals | Apparatus |
3 ice cubes per group | 3 bowls for placing ice cubes |
Soot or Activated Carbon or burn a splint and gather the blackened combusted material | Spotlight |
Soil or sand (as light coloured as possible) | Measuring scale |
| Spoon or forceps to move the ice cube between the bowl and the measuring scale |
Application for the world’s glaciers:
Glaciers around the world are more exposed to particulate matter now than they ever were before the industrial revolution. Covering them with a dark material changes the albedo. The darker the surface, the more of the Sun’s light is absorbed by the glacier, warming it and melting it.
Particulates are tiny solid or liquid particles that are present in the atmosphere. They are sometimes termed aerosols as they float in the air. Black carbon (soot) is a particulate released from incomplete combustion. It absorbs the Sun’s light, which actually helps to cool the Earth. However, when it lands on ice, the absorption of radiation speeds up the ice´s melting as the light is absorbed by the dark colour and heats up the ice.
Social and political perspectives:
Knowing that air pollution that reaches glaciers is increasing their melting faster than what would happen from air temperature changes alone, what do you think we can do in terms of laws or behaviour change?
How can we reduce soot and Black Carbon reaching glaciers? Emission control of cars? Banning domestic wood-burning? Have you heard of smokeless coal that can be used in stoves in smoke-free zones? And pellet stoves, are there fewer emissions from these?
Note: You could carry out your own experiment if you are lucky enough to get snow. Prepare two neat snow blocks or two snow-balls of similar size and cover one with gravel or sand and leave the other clean. Watch which one melts first.
Carbon is one of the building blocks of life. Humans, animals and plants are made up of organic compounds. We burn wood and fossil fuels to produce energy and power transport, inadvertently releasing the greenhouse gas, CO2 into the atmosphere.
We will look at a series of calculations that represent the carbon cycle and how CO2 production is related to energy. You will start to see the energy implications of various fuels and technologies and their CO2 footprint.
The associated information sheet will provide the data you need to answer the questions below.
(Using 13 litres of petrol or 10 litres diesel)
(A 50” LED TV uses 100 watts, to convert to kWh, multiply kW by number of hours)
(A kettle uses 1200 W and it takes 3 minutes to boil water and this is done 10 times a day – or does your household drink more hot drinks?)
(Heating 30 litre of water to 40°C uses 1.1 kWh in the form of gas, where emissions from natural gas are 0.2 kg CO2/ kWh burned)
(Typical phone charges at 0.015 kWh and takes 2 hours to charge fully)
(A Playstation 4 Pro uses 139 W)
*The latest government statistics on UK annual CO2 emissions (for 2019) was 351.5 Mt CO2 equivalent
**UK forests absorbed 21 million tonnes CO2 in total in 2020, so they are working away continuously at helping to neutralise our emissions!
Carbon, fossils fuels and CO2
Carbon is one of the building blocks of life. Humans, animals and plants are made up of organic compounds. We burn wood and fossil fuels to produce energy and power transport, inadvertently releasing the greenhouse gas, CO2 into the atmosphere. Students will become more aware of the facts and figures that link the carbon cycle with CO2 emissions and the jargon that is used in the news and in global climate politics.
3.2.1 Use of amount of substance in relation to masses of pure substances (Moles)
7.1 Carbon compounds as fuels and feedstock
9.2 Carbon dioxide and methane as greenhouse gases
9.2.4 The carbon footprint and its reduction
Calculating the energy from combustion of different fuels is related to the number of Carbon atoms these hydrocarbons contain. The amount of CO2 produced upon combustion is our way of measuring the Carbon footprint of energy sources. Electricity is generated from various forms of energy in each country´s electricity mix and the more renewables and the fewer inefficient coal power plants there are, the less CO2 is released per kWh electricity used. The UK is trying to go below 100 g of CO2 released per kWh by 2030 and is likely to achieve this before that date.
In the associated worksheet the students will carry out calculations based on a range of information they will find in the corresponding information sheet. They will become familiar with conversions between tons of Carbon and tons of CO2, the volume of CO2 and other factors they may hear in the news or that relate to their personal, a country´s or organisation´s carbon emissions.
They will go to websites that provide current global CO2 levels and a breakdown of the UK´s electricity supply, with the corresponding kg of CO2 this will emit per unit electricity used. Questions 1&2 use numeracy skills to evaluate and compare different forms of energy and different technologies.
Question 3 is best used as a classroom discussion and covers carbon neutrality, achieving the UK´s Carbon neutrality goals and calculate how many trees they would have to plant to neutralise this year´s CO2 emissions.
QUESTIONS
Which of these activities produces more CO2 emissions? (calculate them in kg of CO2)
(Using 13 litres of petrol or 10 litres of diesel)
Petrol = 2.3 x 13, Diesel = 2.7 x 10 = 29.9 kg CO2 for petrol and 27 kg for diesel
(A 50” LED TV uses 100 watts, to convert to kWh, multiply kW by number of hours)
5 x 7 hours at 100 watts = 3.5 kWh = 3.5 kg CO2
(A kettle uses 1200 W and it takes 3 minutes to boil water and this is done 10 times a day – or does your family drink more tea?)
1200 x 10 x 3 x 7 = 210 minutes (3.5 hours) or 4.2 kWh x 0.283 = 1.19 kg CO2
(Heating 30 litre of water to 40°C uses 1.1 kWh in the form of gas, where emissions from natural gas are 0.2 kg CO2/ kWh burned)
Heating the water for a week uses 7.7 kWh so 0.2 x 7.7 is 1.54 kg CO2
(Typical phone charges at 0.015 kWh and takes 2 hours to charge fully)
4 x 7 x 0.005 = 0.014 kWh x 0.283 = 0.396 kg CO2
(A Playstation 4 Pro uses 139 W)
139 x 20 = 2.4 kWh = 7.87 kg CO2
QUESTIONS
0.47 x 3 = 1.41 ppmv
63m/8.3b =0.81 % of population and CO2 emissions are 351.5Mt/36000Mt = 0.98 %, so the population of the UK creates more CO2 than their population dictates, we produce 0.98/0.81 =1.21 times more CO2 than the average world population
(figures for 2020) 500 ppm; increase of 100 ppm between 1950 and 2020 (in 70 years), that is a 0.7 ppm average increase; it has increased 4 ppm since 2018 (in 2 years), 2 ppm increase per year. The rate of increase of CO2 concentration has increased since the 1950s.
The lifetime of CO2 means that it stays around in the atmosphere for many years and you will not see a decrease in the CO2 from the year that you stop releasing it, it will gradually level off, that is why we need to reach our CO2 emission peak as early as possible, to see the results a few years later.
QUESTIONS to discuss as a class
Estonia still burns a lot of coal, hence its high CO2 emissions. Sweden has 80 % of its electricity from nuclear and renewables
31 %
351500/2.5 = 140600 acres. There are 60 million acres in the UK, so actually, only adding 0.234 % of the land as forests would do this!
*The latest government statistics on UK annual CO2 emissions (for 2019) was 351.5 Mt CO2 equivalent
**UK forests absorbed 21 million tonnes CO2 in total in 2020, so they are working away continuously at helping to neutralise our emissions!
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