Title: CU4M3 Lab Answer Key
Course: SkillsCom GS 106 14.0 > Section: Credit Unit 4 Module 3 Climate Change

2) What are the implications of having more CO2 in the atmosphere? Use the words and phrases warming, greenhouse effect, infrared, and absorption in your answer.

Answer: More CO2 in the atmosphere enhances the greenhouse effect by putting more gas in the air that can absorb infrared and, in turn, emit more infrared back to the surface of the Earth. This adds to the overall warming of the planet.

Question CU M3 #2 | Student uses all 4 words and phrases to correctly describe the implications of having more CO_2 in the atmosphere 4 pts | Student uses only 3 words or phrases to correctly describe the implications of having more CO_2 in the atmosphere 3 pts | Student uses only 2 words or phrases to correctly describe the implications of having more CO_2 in the atmosphere 2 pts | Student uses only 1 word or phrase to correctly describe the implications of having more CO_2 in the atmosphere 1 pt | Insufficient 0 pt

9) One of the best ice records ever found is from the East Antarctic ice sheet at Russia’s Vostok station. Drilling into the ice has produced a ice and bubble record extending more than 400,000 years. These data are graphed below. Please note that time is kyr (100,000 year) increments. Describe the pattern visible on this graph. What is the approximate difference between the maximum and minimum CO2 levels over the last 400,000 years? How does the highest number on this graph compare to the highest number seen on the Mauna Loa graph (377 ppm)? What does this mean about how CO2 concentration has changed over the past 400,000 years in comparison to the last 60 years?

Answer: CO2 concentration decreases by about 100 ppm over 100,000 years and then spikes 100 ppm over several thousands year, and then decreases by 100 ppm over 100,000 years again. The difference between the maximum (300 ppm) and minimum (180 ppm) CO2 concentration is approximately 120 ppm CO2. The highest number on this graph is only 300 ppm where the Mauna Loa Graph shows a maximum of 377 ppm. Based on this observation, CO2 concentrations are higher today than they have been over the past 400,000 years.

Question CU 4 M3 #9 | Student correctly describes the pattern graphed and answers all 3 other questions correctly 4 pts | Student correctly describes the pattern graphed but only answers all 2 other questions correctly 3 pts | Student correctly describes the pattern graphed but only answers all 1 other questions correctly 2 pts | Student correctly describes the pattern graphed but does not answer any other questions correctly 1 pts | Insufficient 0 pt

10) On average have global temperatures risen or fallen since 1900, and how far below and above the average does the temperature deviate?  Does the global data suggest that this trend will continue?  Explain your answer. (Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of the Interior/NOAA)

Answer: Temperatures seem to have rises gradually since 1900 with small spikes occurring in the 1940s and 1960s. Temperatures have deviated below the average by about .38°C and deviated above the .60°C. Based on this observed increasing trend, temperatures should continue to rise.

Question CU 4 M3 #10 | Student correctly describes change in temperature, gives the approximate deviations from the average, and correctly observes and explains the future trends. 4 pts | Student correctly describes change in temperature, gives the approximate deviations from the average, and correctly observes but does not explains the future trends. 3 pts | Student correctly describes change in temperature, gives the approximate deviations from the average, but does not correctly observe or explains the future trends. 2 pts | Student correctly describes change in temperature, but does not give the approximate deviations from the average and does not correctly observe or explains the future trends. 1 pts | Insufficient 0 pt

12) How does the overall pattern in global temperature changes compare with changes in atmospheric CO2 levels?  Which data set displays more variability?  Explain your answer and suggest a reason for any difference you observe.

Answer: As CO2 rises so does the temperature, they are connected because CO2 drives the greenhouse effect, which affects the overall global temperature. The data set that shows the most variability is the temperature set because temperature can be affected by more than just the carbon dioxide in the air. Things such as season, the amount of heat absorbed by the Earth’s surface, and other factors can affect Earth’s temperature.

Question CU 4 M3 #12 | Student correctly compares the changes in temperature and atmospheric CO_2 levels, identifies the data set with more variability, explains their observation and provides a correct reason for their observation 4 pts | Student correctly compares the changes in temperature and atmospheric CO_2 levels, identifies the data set with more variability, explains their observation but does not provide a correct reason for their observation 3 pts | Student correctly compares the changes in temperature and atmospheric CO_2 levels, identifies the data set with more variability but does not explain their observation or provides a correct reason for their observation 2 pts | Student correctly compares the changes in temperature and atmospheric CO_2 levels but does not correctly identify the data set with more variability or explain their observation and provide a correct reason for their observation 1 pts | Insufficient 0 pt