Study Guide: Climate vs. Weather; Carbon Cycle

To-Do Date: Apr 16 at 10:30am

This week we are starting our last unit of the semesters: Climate Change. In order to understand this topic, we are going to start this week  by learning the difference between weather and climate. Toward the end of the week, we will learn about the carbon cycle.   These two pieces of information will set us up nicely to dive into climate change in more depth. 

Climate change and individual weather events cartoon

 

Below are the study guides for each of these topics as well as the Unit Assessment Questions. 

Climate Vs. Weather  

The cartoon on the right shows a scientist pointing to a screen with Hurricane Harvey and below that a screen showing tornadoes, hurricanes, fires and storms all over the world.  These two pictures show the idea of weather and climate nicely. Weather (Hurricane Harvey) are specific events during specific times of year. Climate on the other hand is a description of weather patterns either over long periods or large regions. By the end of this module, you should be able to: 

  1. What is the difference between climate and weather? 
  • Define these two terms: make sure to refer to issues of time, fluctuation, averages, expectations
  • What are some of  the components of weather ( temperature, etc)? 
  • What factors determine the climate of a given area? 
  • What causes the different seasons: winter and summer?
  • What are the changes we see in winters globally? Summer globally?
  • What is happening to winter temperatures globally? Summer temperatures? 
  • What is the connection between increased global temperatures and increased intense rainfall or snowfall?
  • Why is it different predicting weather vs climate? 

 

  1. What is the Greenhouse Effect? 
  • What are the different forms of energy that are involved in the greenhouse effect?
  • How do each of these contribute to the effect?
  • What is the role of atmospheric gases in the greenhouse effect?
  • What are the 3 most important greenhouse gases? 
  • Without these gases, what would happen to the earth's atmosphere? 
  • With increase of these gases, what is happening to the earth's atmosphere? 
  • How do we measure greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? 

 

 

Carbon Cycle 

In the cartoon on the right, a young plant complains about having to eat sunlight for breakfast.  Its funny, but there is an error embedded in the cartoon. To be more accurate, there should be two other things on this kid's plate besides sunlight. Thinking about photosynthesis and the carbon cycle, what should those be?

31 Carbon Cycle ideas | carbon cycle, teaching science, environmental science

 

By the end of this module,  you should be able to:

  1. Draw the path of the carbon atom in pictures as it moves from the atmosphere, through plants, an herbivore, a carnivore and decomposers.
  • What is the process by which carbon get from the atmosphere into plants? What is the equation for photosynthesis (see PowerPoint)?
  • What form of carbon do plants absorb? What molecules do they create with CO2?
  • What form of carbon do animals absorb/eat? What do they do with those organic molecules?
  • Do plants also do cellular respiration?
  • How does carbon get into the soil? What form of carbon is in the dead bodies of plants and animals ( and their feces and urine)?
  • Which group of organisms feeds on those organic molecules?
  • What chemical reaction do decomposers do?
  • Does their cell respiration release CO2 into the atmosphere?
  • Are there plants and animals and decomposers doing the same thing in aquatic habitats? 
  • What happens if a dead plant or animal doesn't get decomposed?
  • What happens to those organic molecules that are trapped in fossils?
  • What form of carbon gets dissolved in water and how does that relate to shells and limestone?
  • What happens if a dead plant or animal doesn't get decomposed?
  • What happens to those organic molecules that are trapped in fossils?
  • How much time does it take for fossilized organic molecules to get compressed into oil, natural gas or coal?
  • Have we changed the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere in the last 150 years?
  • What is the impact of deforestation, burning wood for heat/cooking? 
  1. Draw a molecule of water as it moves through the water cycle, from oceans through land and back to the oceans. 
  • Where do we find liquid, solid and gaseous water? 
  • What are the differences between these forms of water?
  • What is the role of evaporation, precipitation and condensation in the water cycle?
  • How do plants contribute to the water cycle? 
  • Where does the water come from that feeds creeks, streams, lakes and the ocean?