Name: Date:
Student Exploration: Greenhouse Effect
Vocabulary: global warming, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas, heat flow
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What do you notice when you get into a car that has been sitting in the Sun for a while?
Its very hot
2. Why is the inside of the car so hot? _The he can’t escape
3. How would things be different if the car’s windows were left open? The heat would be able
to escape and the car would be cooler
Gizmo Warm-up
Like the windows of a car, greenhouse gases play
a major role in regulating Earth’s climate. Without
the gases that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere,
Earth would be a frigid desert like Mars (average
temperature -55°C, or -67°F). Too much greenhouse
gas and Earth could be a fiery inferno like Venus
(average temperature 450°C, or 850°F).
On the Greenhouse Effect Gizmo™, set the
Greenhouse gases to 0% and the Simulation
speed to fast.
1. Click Play ( ) and view the BAR CHART tab. The temperature will go up and down every
day, but try to look at the overall trend. What happens to the temperature over time?
the temperature decreased
2. Now set the Greenhouse gases to 100% and let the simulation run for a while. How does a
maximum amount of greenhouse gas affect the temperature?
The temperature increased
Student Exploration: Greenhouse Effect
Vocabulary: global warming, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas, heat flow
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. What do you notice when you get into a car that has been sitting in the Sun for a while?
Its very hot
2. Why is the inside of the car so hot? _The he can’t escape
3. How would things be different if the car’s windows were left open? The heat would be able
to escape and the car would be cooler
Gizmo Warm-up
Like the windows of a car, greenhouse gases play
a major role in regulating Earth’s climate. Without
the gases that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere,
Earth would be a frigid desert like Mars (average
temperature -55°C, or -67°F). Too much greenhouse
gas and Earth could be a fiery inferno like Venus
(average temperature 450°C, or 850°F).
On the Greenhouse Effect Gizmo™, set the
Greenhouse gases to 0% and the Simulation
speed to fast.
1. Click Play ( ) and view the BAR CHART tab. The temperature will go up and down every
day, but try to look at the overall trend. What happens to the temperature over time?
the temperature decreased
2. Now set the Greenhouse gases to 100% and let the simulation run for a while. How does a
maximum amount of greenhouse gas affect the temperature?
The temperature increased
