Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Introduction
What is carbon dioxide?
Why is atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration significant?
Data Representation / Graphing
Download carbon dioxide data collected by the carbon dioxide observatory on Mauna Loa.
Create and label a line graph of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration as a function of time.
Analysis. Analyze the graph of carbon dioxide concentration as a function of time.
Describe the general trend of the graph
Compare and contrast trends in carbon dioxide concentration throughout 12 months of separate years
Determine the best fit line or function for the data
Interpretation. Interpret (causality) the graph of carbon dioxide concentration as a function of time.
Offer an explanation for the general trend of the graph.
Refine your explanation after referring to the following
Historic Trends in carbon dioxide production by nation (Gapminder)
A Day in the life of the Earth's Carbon Dioxide (NASA simulation) - local version
Offer an explanation for seasonal trends of the graph
Refine your explanation after viewing
Create a mathematical model that accounts for, both the periodic seasonal changes, and the long-term trend.
Ocean Warming & Acidification
Download data sets of average ocean pH. Create a line graph of ocean pH vs. time.
Aqualink - monitorin marine ecosystems
Predictions
Convert your function, which describes the carbon dioxide volume concentration in parts per million (ppm), into an equivalent function that predicts the mass of atmospheric carbon dioxide if 383 ppm (by volume) of carbon dioxide corresponds to 3,000 gigatons.
What would you predict as the carbon dioxide concentration (ppm) and mass for the years: A) 2020? B)2050, C)2100?
Resources
Methane Entrapped in Ice
Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Leak
Dynamic map of Carbon Dioxide world wide