Environmental science

Name:

Date:

Instructor’s Name:

Assignment:  Lab Report

Title: Sources of CO2 Emissions

Instructions: You will need to write a 1-page lab report using the scientific method centered on the known phenomena of CO2 emissions, related to the following question:

• Would you expect to see an increase or decrease in CO2 emission in the data over the past 40 years? Why?

When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted Assignment files.

Part I: In the Web site link given in the assignment description, you will see an interactive map of the world titled “GMD Measurement Locations.”  You can zoom in and out and move the map around within the window. In the map, choose 5 sites that are labeled with a star, which will have CO2 concentrations.  Follow the steps below to fill in the data table:

1. Click on a starred location.  (One site will not have CO2 concentrations.)

2. Once the starred location opens, on the right side of the screen, click on the pictured graph “Examples of Data” for CO2.

3. Once the graph opens, make a note of the CO2 concentrations from previous years to present day.  Fill in the table below.

4. Repeat steps 1–3 for all other locations.

5. Use these results in your lab report to help you assess CO2 concentration trends from 1990 to 2005.

Part II: Write a 1-page lab report using the following scientific method sections: 

• Purpose

o State the purpose of the lab. 

• Introduction

o This is an investigation of what is currently known about the question being asked. Use background information from credible references to write a short summary about concepts in the lab. List and cite references in APA style. 

• Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome

o A hypothesis is an educated guess. Based on what you have learned and written about in the Introduction, state what you expect to be the results of the lab procedures. 

• Methods

o Summarize the procedures that you used in the lab. The Methods section should also state clearly how data (numbers) were collected during the lab; this will be reported in the Results/Outcome section. 

• Results/Outcome

o Provide here any results or data that were generated while doing the lab procedure. 

• Discussion/Analysis

o In this section, state clearly whether you obtained the expected results, and if the outcome was as expected.

o Note: You can use the lab data to help you discuss the results and what you learned. 

Provide references in APA format. This includes a reference list and in-text citations for references used in the Introduction section.

In this lab, you will gather data about CO2 emissions using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Web site (Earth System Research Laboratory, n.d.) to help you write up a scientific report centered around known phenomena of CO2 emissions, related to the following question:

• Would you expect to see an increase or decrease in CO2 emissions in the data over the past 40 years? Why

• Part 1:

  Introduction

  The natural balance that occurs between global atmospheric cooling and warming processes provides an important contribution to the Earth’s varied climates.

  Troposphere gases

  Planetary albedo from clouds low in the troposphere, sulfur dioxide (SO2) from active volcanoes, snow, and ice all reflect incoming solar radiation back into space. This causes a cooling effect on climates within a geographical area.

  Clouds high in the troposphere and greenhouse gases such as water vapor(H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) , methane (CH4) , and nitrous oxide (N2O) have a warming effect.

  Along with the solar activity, these cooling and warming processes help ensure that the planet’s average surface temperature is a net value that is above freezing, helping to ensure that life is possible.

  Theory on CO2 Emissions

  It has been hypothesized that anthropogenic effects (conditions caused by human activity) that are associated with industry, agriculture, and fossil fuel use have enhanced these warming processes by contributing greenhouse gases such as N2O, CH4, and CO2 into the troposphere. As a result, CO2 is believed to contribute the most to the atmospheric warming process.

  Pollution

  Pollution is a substance that produces a detrimental change in the environment because of its composition and abundance. Anthropogenic sources of CO2 fit this description because of the perception that there is evidence of a positive correlation between the increases in anthropogenic CO2 and increases in temperature. In turn, as temperatures increase, climates can change worldwide, unbalancing ecosystems across the globe.

  Strategies

  Strategies and prediction models can be used to decrease or eliminate the effects that are associated with a particular pollutant. First, the cause of the pollution must be identified. Then, scientists can create innovate ways to reduce or eliminate its production.

  Part 2:

  Earth System Research Laboratory

  Click on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratory, Global Monitoring Division Website.(Earth System Research Laboratory, n.d.). Here you will identify important sources of CO2 emission to help you complete your lab assignment.

  Reference

  Earth system research laboratory: Global monitoring division. (n.d.). Retrieved from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research Web site: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop//