PhET Activity for MS-ESS3-5: The Greenhouse Effect

DIRECTIONS:
1. You should be on the initial screen with three mode options.
2. Click on the 'Waves' button to open the first simulation tab.
3. Take a moment to identify the key components: the thermometer on the left, the 'Greenhouse Gas Concentration' panel on the right, and the control buttons at the bottom.
Spend 2-3 minutes exploring the simulation. Click the 'Start Sunlight' button and see what happens. Try moving the 'Greenhouse Gas Concentration' slider. Don't worry about collecting data yet, just get a feel for how it works.

QUESTION: Are you acquainted with the tools in this simulation?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Click the orange 'Reset' button at the bottom right to return the 'Waves' tab to its default state.
2. Click the 'Start Sunlight' button in the center of the screen.
3. Observe the yellow and red waves.

QUESTION: What is the basic energy flow shown in the simulation?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure the simulation is still running from the previous slide.
2. Move the 'Greenhouse Gas Concentration' slider on the right panel all the way up to 'Lots'.
3. Observe the thermometer on the left and the behavior of the red infrared waves.

QUESTION: As the concentration of greenhouse gases increases, ___ infrared radiation is absorbed and re-emitted back to the surface, causing the global temperature to ___.

(a)  

DIRECTIONS:
1. Click the orange 'Reset' button.
2. Set the 'Greenhouse Gas Concentration' slider to 'None'.
3. Click 'Start Sunlight' and let the simulation run for about one minute, observing the final temperature.
4. Now, move the 'Greenhouse Gas Concentration' slider to 'Lots'.
5. Let the simulation run for another minute and observe the new final temperature.

QUESTION: Describe the difference in the planet's ability to retain heat with 'None' versus 'Lots' of greenhouse gases. Why does this happen?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Click the orange 'Reset' button.
2. In the 'Greenhouse Gas Concentration' panel on the right, click the 'Ice Age' button.
3. Click 'Start Sunlight' and observe the temperature.

QUESTION: Compared to today, the 'Ice Age' period had a (a)   concentration of greenhouse gases, resulting in a significantly lower average temperature.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure you are on the 'Waves' tab with the 'Ice Age' preset still active.
2. Click on the '1750' button and observe the temperature change.
3. Click on the '1950' button and observe the temperature change.
4. Click on the '2020' button and observe the temperature change.

QUESTION: Arrange the following historical periods in order from lowest average global temperature to highest.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure the simulation is set to the '2020' preset from the previous slide.

QUESTION: The '2020' preset shows the highest temperature and greenhouse gas levels. Which human activity, represented by the factories and city landscape, is the primary source of these gases?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Click the orange 'Reset' button.
2. Click 'Start Sunlight' and let the temperature stabilize for a moment.
3. In the right panel, check the 'Cloud' checkbox.

QUESTION: What are the two main effects of the cloud on energy in the atmosphere?

DIRECTIONS:
1. Ensure the simulation is running with the cloud present.
2. Uncheck the 'Cloud' checkbox and observe the immediate change in the rate of temperature increase.
3. Check the 'Cloud' checkbox again to see it return.
4. Repeat this a few times to confirm the effect.

QUESTION: In this simulation, do clouds appear to have a net warming or a net cooling effect? Explain your reasoning based on your observations of the thermometer.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Click the orange 'Reset' button.
2. At the bottom of the screen, click on the 'Photons' tab to switch modes.

QUESTION: In the 'Photons' tab, energy from the sun is represented by yellow particles called ___ photons, and heat energy from the ground is represented by red particles called ___ photons.

(a)