1. Carbon in the Atmosphere Module 4
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The Keeling Curve
Charles Keeling began collecting continuous atmospheric CO2 data in 1958 at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. Over time, he found that:
CO2 is steadily increasing
CO2 fluctuates about 5 parts per million (5 ppm) each year due to due seasonal plant cycles: Plants take up CO2 in the spring when they bloom, and release CO2 in fall when leaves fall and decay.
CO2 levels are highest in April and lowest in October.
Visit:
for current Mauna Loa data.
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CO2 and Climate
Industrial
Revolution
Top Graph: Historic levels of CO2 rarely exceeded 300 ppm, but since the Industrial Revolution, levels have steadily risen to 392 ppm in Bottom Graph: CO2 fluctuations match temperature fluctuations.
Temp
Images from wikimedia:
CO2
Concentration
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4. Why is CO2 Building in the Atmosphere?
The amount of carbon dioxide on Earth is a balance between carbon dioxide production through respiration (animals breathing out CO2), decay or combustion, and carbon dioxide uptake through photosynthesis.
Fossil fuels are made of decayed plants and animals that are hundreds of millions years old.
Burning fossils fuels releases carbon that was stored underground for those millions of years, and creates an imbalance in the carbon cycle.
Deforestation also decreases Earth’s ability to take up excess carbon.
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The Carbon Cycle
Soil, terrestrial plants, algae, and phytoplankton are carbon sinks – they take carbon out of the atmosphere through storage and photosynthesis.
Plant and animal respiration, decomposition, fires, and fossil fuel emissions are carbon sources – they add carbon to the atmosphere.
Which carbon source is causing an imbalance in the carbon cycle?
Historically, over hundreds of thousands of years, carbon sinks and sources have fluctuated, causing altered atmospheric CO2 levels as well as global temperatures. Burning fossil fuels is a modern carbon sink addition to the carbon cycle, and is why CO2 levels are rising quickly and to record highs. Image from Wikimedia Commons:
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6. Evidence and Impacts Jigsaw
In groups of 2-4, you will answer 1-2 questions about the following topics. You will then teach your classmates about your topic. When the other students share their answers, take notes so at the end of this activity you have answered all of the questions. Topics include:
Types of Carbon in the Atmosphere
Melting Glaciers
Shrinking Sea Ice
Ancient Climate Data
Thawing Permafrost
Higher Temperatures
Increased Ocean Acidity
More Droughts
Warmer Oceans
Wilder Weather
Rising Sea Level
Changing Rain and Snow Patterns
Less Snowpack
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