Activity 4

Yesterday in class we did a greenhouse effect activity. in the activity we took a plastic bottle and put some water in it (the other groups did different substances, and some had white paint to act as clouds). we stuck a thermometer into the bottle, not touching the water. we then taped the thermometer into the bottle sealing the bottle off from any outside air. we turned a lamp on and gave it direct heat. the temperature went up gradually every minute over the twenty minute time period.
This relates to my topic of global warming in a lot of ways. The greenhouse effect is the process in which the emissions of infared radiation by the atmosphere warms a planet's surface. Global warming is the heating of the Earth's surface over a period of time. It all fits together if you think about it. According to wikipedia global warming is believed to be the result of an enhanced greenhouse effect due to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are the gases present in the atmosphere which reduce the loss of heat into space and therefore contribute to global temperatures through the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are essential to maintaining the temperature of the earth; without them the planet would be so cold as to be uninhabitable. Likewise, an excess of greenhouse gases can raise the temperature of the planet to unlivable levels. that is where global warming kicks in. That is my connection. Think Green!!! Have a good day.
Britt


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas