Climate ChangeInvestigation ManualENVIRONMENTAL SCIENC

Climate Change
Investigation
Manual
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
CLIMATE CHANGE
Overview
In this lab, students will carry out several activities aimed at
demonstrating consequences of anthropogenic carbon emissions,
climate change, and sea level rise. To do this, students will
model
how certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and then how
different colors and textures of surfaces reflect differing
amounts
of sunlight back into space. They will create models of sea level
rise resulting from melting of sea ice and glacial ice and
examine
the effects of this potential consequence of climate change.
Students will critically examine the model systems they used in
the experiments.
Outcomes
• Explain the causes of increased carbon emissions and their
likely
effect on global climate.
• Discuss positive and negative climate feedback.
• Distinguish between glacial ice melt and oceanic ice melt.

Time Requirements
Preparation ..................................................................... 15
minutes
Activity 1: Modeling the Greenhouse Effect ................... 30
minutes
Activity 2: Modeling Albedo ........................................... 40
minutes
Activity 3: Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level Rise ....... 30
minutes
2 Carolina Distance Learning
Key
Personal protective
equipment
(PPE)
goggles gloves apron
follow
link to
video
photograph
results and
submit
stopwatch
required
warning corrosion flammable toxic environment health hazard
Made ADA compliant by
NetCentric Technologies using
the CommonLook® software

Table of Contents
2 Overview
2 Outcomes
2 Time Requirements
3 Background
9 Materials
9 Safety
9 Preparation
10 Activity 1
11 Activity 2
12 Activity 3
13 Graphing
13 Submission
13 Disposal and Cleanup
14 Lab Worksheet
Background
For the last 30 years, controversy has
surrounded the ideas of global warming/climate
change. However, the scientific concepts behind
the theory are not new. In the 1820s, Joseph
Fourier was the first to recognize that, given
the earth’s size and distance from the sun,
the planet’s surface temperature should be
considerably cooler than it was. He proposed
several mechanisms to explain why the earth
was warmer than his calculations predicted,
one of which was that the earth’s atmosphere
might act as an insulator. Forty years later,
John Tyndall demonstrated that different
gases have different capacities to absorb
infrared radiation, most notably methane (CH4),

carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor (H2O),
all of which are present in the atmosphere. In
1896, Svante Arrhenius developed the first
mathematical model of the effect of increased
CO2 levels on temperature. His model predicted
that a doubling of the amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere would produce a 5–6 °C increase
in temperature globally. Based on the level of
CO2 production in the late 19th century, he
predicted that this change would take place
over thousands of years, if at all. Arrhenius used
Arvid Högbom’s calculations of industrial CO2
emissions in his equations. Högbom thought
that the excess CO2 would be absorbed by the
ocean; others believed that the effect of CO2
was insignificant next to the much larger effect
of water vapor.
It was not until the late 1950s, when the CO2
absorption capacity of the ocean was better
understood and significant increases in CO2
levels (a 10% increase from the 1850s to the
1950s) were being observed by G. S. Callendar,
that Arrhenius’s calculations received renewed
attention.
The Atmosphere
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere in a
given location at a specific time. Climate is the
prevailing weather pattern over a longer period
of time (decades or centuries).
The atmosphere is a thin shell (~100 km) of
gases that envelops the earth. It is made up
principally of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%),

and argon (0.9%). Trace gases include methane
(CH4), ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon
monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (e.g.,
NO2) and sulfur (e.g., SO2) (see Figure 1).
Water vapor is sometimes included in the
composition of gases in the atmosphere, but a
lot of times it is not because its amount varies
widely, from 0%–4%, depending on location.
The concentration of gases in the atmosphere
is not uniform either; the atmosphere consists
of several concentric layers. Some gases are
concentrated at certain altitudes. Water and
continued on next page
www.carolina.com/distancelearning 3
Figure 1.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Background continued
carbon dioxide are concentrated near the
earth’s surface, for instance, while ozone is
concentrated 20 to 30 kilometers above the
surface. Energy transfer from the sun at and
near the surface of the earth is responsible for
weather and climate. Solar radiation heats land,
the oceans, and atmospheric gases differently,
resulting in the constant transfer of energy
across the globe.
Several factors interact to cause areas of the

earth’s surface and atmosphere to heat at
different rates, a process called differential
heating. The first is the angle at which the sun’s
light hits the earth. When the sun is directly
overhead, as it is at the equator, the light is
direct. Each square mile of incoming sunlight
hits one square mile of the earth. At higher
latitudes, the sun hits at an angle, spreading
the one square mile of sunlight over more of the
earth’s surface. Thus, the intensity of the light
is reduced and the surface does not warm as
quickly (see Figure 2). This causes the tropics,
near the equator, to be warmer and the poles to
be cooler.
Different materials heat and cool at different
rates. Darker surfaces heat faster than lighter
surfaces. Water has a high heat capacity, which
is important on a planet whose surface is 72%
water. Heat capacity is a measure of how
much heat it takes to raise the temperature of
a substance by one degree. The heat capacity
of liquid water is roughly four times that of air.
Water is slow to warm and slow to cool, relative
to land. This also contributes to differential
heating of the earth.
Differential heating causes circulation in the
atmosphere and in the oceans. Warmer fluids
are less dense and rise, leaving behind an area
of low pressure. Air and water move laterally to
distribute the change in pressure. This is critical
in developing prevailing wind patterns and in
cycling nutrients through the ocean.

The Role of the Oceans
The oceans play an important role in regulating
the atmosphere as well. The large volume of the
oceans, combined with the high heat capacity
of water, prevent dramatic temperature swings
in the atmosphere. The relatively large surface
area of the oceans, ~70% of the surface of the
earth, means that the oceans can absorb large
amounts of atmospheric CO2.
Greenhouse Gases
The greenhouse effect is a natural process;
Figure 2.
without it, the earth would be significantly cooler
(see Figure 3). The sun emits energy in a broad
range of wavelengths. Most energy from the
sun passes through the atmosphere. Some is
reflected by the atmosphere and some by the
earth’s surface back into space, but much of it
is absorbed by the atmosphere and the earth’s
surface. Absorbed energy is converted into
infrared energy, or heat. Oxygen and nitrogen
allow incoming sunlight and outgoing thermal
infrared energy to pass through. Water vapor,
CO2, methane, and some trace gases absorb
infrared energy; these are the greenhouse
gases. After absorbing energy, the greenhouse
gases radiate it in all directions, causing the

temperature of the atmosphere and the earth
to rise.
Greenhouse gases that contribute to the
insulation of the earth can be grouped into
two categories: condensable and persistent.
Persistent gases—such as CO2, methane,
nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3)—exist in
the environment for much longer periods of
time than condensable gases. These times can
range from a few years to thousands of years.
The longer residence allows them to become
well-mixed geographically. The amount of a
condensable gas is temperature dependent.
Water is the primary greenhouse gas in the
atmosphere, but because it is condensable,
it is not considered a forcing factor. Forcing
factors (forcings) are features of the earth’s
climate system that drive climate change; they
may be internal or external to the planet and its
atmosphere. Feedbacks are events that take
place as a result of forcings.
Carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases
identified by Tyndall as having high heat
capacities make up a relatively minor fraction
of the atmosphere, but they have a critical
effect on the temperature of the earth. Without
the naturally occurring greenhouse effect, it is
estimated that the earth’s average temperature
would be approximately –18 °C (0 °F). The
greenhouse effect also acts as a buffer, slowing
both the warming during the day and the cooling
at night. This is an important feature of the
earth’s atmosphere. Without the greenhouse
effect, the temperature would drop below

the freezing point of water and the amount
of water in the atmosphere would plummet,
creating a feedback loop. A feedback loop is
a mechanism that either enhances (positive
Figure 3.
CLIMATE CHANGE
feedback) or dampens (negative feedback) the
effect that triggers it.
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution,
the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere
has increased from approximately 280 ppm to
411 ppm (see the Keeling Curve). This change
is attributed to the burning of fossil fuels—such
as coal, oil, and natural gas—and changes
in land use, i.e., cutting down large tracts of
old-growth forests. Old-growth forests, like fossil
fuels, sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
Burning of either releases that carbon into
the atmosphere in the form of CO2. Clearing
old-growth forests has an additional impact
on the carbon cycle because trees actively
remove CO2 from the atmosphere to convert
it to sugar and carbohydrates (see Figure 4).
Removing long-lived trees and replacing them

with short-lived crops and grasses reduces the
time over which the carbon is removed from the
atmosphere.
Determining the exact effect that the increase
in CO2 concentrations will have on atmospheric
temperature is complicated by a variety of
interactions and potential feedback loops.
However, the overall impact is an ongoing
temperature increase, known as global climate
change (see Figure 5).
Potential Feedback Loops
Some examples of potential positive feedback
loops that may enhance the effects of global
climate change are:
1. Higher temperatures allow the
atmosphere to absorb more
water. More water vapor in the
atmosphere traps more heat,
further increasing temperature.
2. Melting of sea ice and glaciers,
which are relatively light in
color, to darker bodies or water
decreases the albedo (the
amount of energy reflected
back into space) of the
earth’s surface, increasing
temperatures. Figure 6 shows an
ice albedo feedback loop.
3. Warmer temperatures melt more
of the arctic permafrost (frozen

Figure 4.
https://scripps.ucsd.edu/programs/keelingcurve/
ground), releasing methane into the
atmosphere, further raising temperatures.
4. Higher temperatures may result in greater
rainfall in the North Atlantic, and melting of
sea ice creates a warm surface layer of fresh
water there. This would block formation of
sea ice and disrupt the sinking of cold, salty
water. It may also slow deep oceanic currents
that carry carbon, oxygen, nutrients, and heat
around the globe.
Other factors may work as negative feedbacks,
dampening the effects of global climate change:
1. An increase in CO2 level in the atmosphere
leads to an increase in CO2 in the oceans,
stabilizing CO2 levels.
2. Increased atmospheric temperatures and CO2
promote plant and algae growth, increasing
absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere,
lowering the CO2 levels there, and stabilizing
temperature.

3. Warmer air, carrying more moisture, produces
more snow at high latitudes. This increases
the albedo of the earth’s surface, stabilizing
temperature.
4. Warmer, moister air produces more clouds,
which also increases the albedo of the earth’s
surface, stabilizing temperature.
The relative impact of each of these potential
effects is a subject of debate and leads to the
uncertainty in models used to predict future
climate change resulting from an increase in
anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse
gases. However, the consensus among climate
scientists is that the positive feedbacks will likely
overwhelm the negative ones.
Possible Consequences
Consequences of an increase in average
temperature are difficult to predict on a regional
Figure 6.
Figure 5.
CLIMATE CHANGE

crop growth. Climes that are more northerly may
experience an increase in productivity. These
shifts will put stress on ecosystems as well. How
resilient each community is to the change will
vary with location and other pressures.
Modeling
The atmosphere and climate are highly complex
systems that are challenging to understand
and predict. To explore such complex systems,
scientists frequently employ models. A model
is a simplification of a complex process that
isolates certain factors likely to be important.
Sometimes a model can be a physical
representation of something too big or too small
to see, such as a model solar system. However,
scientists frequently use mathematical equations
derived from observed data to predict future
conditions. With the addition of computers,
mathematical climate equations can be linked
together in increasingly sophisticated ways to
model multiple factors in three dimensions,
producing global climate models. Because
of computing limitations, some factors must
be simplified. How they are represented within
the model can lead to a degree of error in the
outcome predicted. Ultimately, the quality of
all models is determined by their success in
predicting events that have not yet taken place.
scale; some, however, can be predicted with
a relatively high degree of confidence. One
of these is sea level rise. Sea level rise is
the result of two processes. The first is the

melting of glaciers and Antarctic continental
ice. Although the melting of sea ice can have
complex consequences due to the different
densities of salt and fresh water, it will not cause
sea level rise. Melting of glaciers and the deep
ice over the Antarctic continent, however, can.
The second cause of sea level rise, related to
warmer temperatures, is that water expands as
it warms. As the oceans warm, the water rises
farther up the shore. Countries and cities that
have large portions of their land area at or just
above sea level may be in jeopardy.
The loss of mountain glaciers is already
causing changes in freshwater availability.
As glaciers shrink, regions that depend on
seasonal meltwater for hydroelectric power or
for irrigation and drinking water are increasingly
affected. Whereas rainfall may increase in
these regions (even as the amount of snowmelt
decreases), rainwater is considerably more
difficult to control because it does not occur
at as predictable a rate as meltwater. River
systems may be overwhelmed by increased
runoff rates, which can cause flooding. One
of the richest agricultural regions in the world,
California, depends heavily on snowmelt from
the Sierra Nevada. One of the world’s most
populous river valleys, the Indus, is equally
dependent on snowmelt from the Himalayas.
Less predictable consequences are the shifting
of global weather patterns and the subsequent
changes in natural populations. Areas previously
ideal for agriculture may become too arid for

Materials
Included in the materials kit:
Safety
Wear your safety
goggles, gloves, and
lab apron for the duration of this investigation.
Read all the instructions for these laboratory
activities before beginning. Follow the
instructions closely, and observe established
laboratory safety practices, including the use
of appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE).
Do not eat, drink, or chew gum while
performing the activities. Wash your hands
with soap and water before and after
performing each activity. Clean the work area
with soap and water after completing the
investigation. Keep pets and children away
from lab materials and equipment.
Preparation
1. Read through the activities.
2. Obtain all materials.
3. Monitor the local weather forecast.
Activities 1 and 2 require a bright, sunny
day. (Alternatively, you can use a heat
lamp, halogen lamp, or lamp with a bright
incandescent bulb; compact fluorescent or

LED bulbs will not work.)
2 Foam cups
2 Thermometers
Construction
paper, black
Rubber band
Needed from the equipment kit:
Graduated
cylinder, 100 mL
Reorder Information: Replacement
supplies for the Greenhouse Gases and
Sea Level Rise investigation (item number
580854) can be ordered from the Carolina
Biological Supply Company.
Call: 800.334.5551 to order.
Needed but not supplied:
• Clear plastic wrap
• Aluminum foil
• Tap water
• 4 Small ice cubes,
identical in size
• Transparent tape
• Scissors
• Timer or stopwatch
• Pencil

• Digital camera
or mobile device
capable of taking
photos
• Access to bright
sunlight (or a heat
lamp, halogen lamp,
or lamp with an
incandescent bulb)
Plastic funnel
indicate the higher temperature when placed
in the sunlight or under a hot lamp. Record
your hypothesis on the Lab Worksheet (see
page 14).
6. Find a location currently receiving full sun,
either outdoors or by a sunny window.
Alternatively, you can use a heat lamp,
halogen lamp, or lamp with an incandescent
bulb. (Compact fluorescent or LED bulbs will
not work.)
7. Place the cup with the thermometer in it in a
stable location in the bright sunlight or under
the lamp. Hold the other thermometer close
to the cup, so that both thermometers are
receiving about the same level of light. (Do
not touch the bulb of the thermometer you
are holding.)
8. Determine the temperatures in degrees

Celsius for both thermometers. Record them
in Data Table 1 on the Lab Worksheet.
9. Once every minute, continue to measure
and record the temperatures from both
thermometers until the thermometer in the
foam cup reads the same temperature twice
in a row.
10. Place a strip of paper with your name
and the date clearly written on it
next to your setup for this activity. Take a
photograph of the setup for later uploading
to your lab report.
11. When finished, remove the plastic wrap,
thermometer, and rubber band from the
foam cup. You will need to reuse the
thermometers and cup in Activity 2.
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY 1
A Modeling the Greenhouse Effect
In Activity 1, you will model how certain
gases in Earth’s atmosphere (carbon dioxide,
methane, and others) trap heat that Earth is
radiating back into space. The plastic wrap
covering the foam cup mimics the effect of
these greenhouse gases (see Figure 7).
1. Tear off a piece of
clear plastic wrap,
and place it atop
the foam cup.

2. Using the rubber
band, gently but
firmly secure the
plastic wrap on the
cup. The plastic
wrap represents
the heat-trapping
greenhouse
gases in Earth’s
atmosphere.
3. Using a pencil
point or another thin, sharp object (shish
kebab skewers work well), poke a tiny hole
into the plastic wrap covering the cup.
4. Slowly press one of the thermometers into
the hole until the bulb just touches the bottom
of the cup. (If you accidentally make the
thermometer hole too big, use transparent
tape to seal the gap so that the plastic wrap
completely covers the top of the cup.)
5. Propose a hypothesis as to which
thermometer (the bare one or the one pressed
through the plastic on the foam cup) will
Figure 7.
ACTIVITY 2
A Modeling Albedo

In Activity 2, you will model how different
colors and textures of surfaces reflect
differing amounts of sunlight back into
space. The more sunlight that is reflected,
the higher the albedo of the surface. The
less sunlight a surface reflects, the more the
surface absorbs and the lower the albedo.
Aluminum foil covering one of the foam
cups will represent Arctic sea ice. Dark
construction paper covering the other cup
will represent the open ocean (see Figure 8).
1. Measure 150 mL of tap water in the graduated
cylinder, and add it to one of the foam cups.
2. Measure another 150 mL of tap water in the
graduated cylinder, and add it to the second
foam cup.
3. Using the scissors and black paper, cut a
square that is large enough to cover the top
of a foam cup and fold over the sides. Fix the
paper in place with transparent tape, and use
your sharp object to make a tiny hole.
4. Tear a piece of aluminum foil so it’s about the
same size as the black paper square. Cover
the second foam cup with the aluminum foil,
and use your sharp object to make a tiny hole.
5. Insert a thermometer into the hole in the black
paper and the second thermometer into the
hole in the aluminum foil.
6. Propose a hypothesis as to which thermome-

ter (the one in the cup with dark paper or the
one in the cup with aluminum foil) will indicate
the higher temperature when placed in the
sunlight or under a hot lamp. Record your
hypothesis on the Lab Worksheet.
7. Place both cups with thermometers in a
stable location in bright sunlight. Alternatively,
you can place them under a heat lamp,
halogen lamp, or lamp with an incandescent
bulb. (Compact fluorescent or LED bulbs will
not work.)
8. Measure and read the temperatures of both
thermometers in degrees Celsius. Record
these values in Data Table 2 on the Lab
Worksheet.
9. Once every minute, continue to measure
and record the temperatures until both
thermometers have the same temperature
reading twice in a row.
10. Calculate the temperature difference
between the 2 cups by subtracting the
temperature of the thermometer in the
cup covered with aluminum foil from the
temperature of the cup covered with the
black paper. Record your result in Data Table
2 on the Lab Worksheet.
to your lab report.

Figure 8.
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY 3
A Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level
Rise
In the following activity, you will model the
effects of melting sea ice versus melting
land ice (glaciers) on sea level rise. Ice
cubes added directly to the graduated
cylinder represent sea ice. Ice cubes placed
in a funnel on top of the graduated cylinder
represent glacial ice that melts on land and
then flows down rivers (through the funnel)
to the ocean (see Figure 9).
1. Before starting this activity, propose a
hypothesis as to the outcome: Will both
glacial ice and sea ice have the same effect
on sea level, or will their effects be different?
If different, how? Record your hypothesis on
the Lab Worksheet.
2. Fill the graduated cylinder with tap water to
the 50 mL line.

3. Add 2 ice cubes to the graduated cylinder
(see Figure 9, left). If the ice cubes will not fit,
place them in a small plastic bag and gently
strike them with a hammer to break them up;
make sure to place all the resulting fragments
into the graduated cylinder.
4. Immediately find the volume in milliliters of
the water and ice in the graduated cylinder.
Record this result in Data Table 3 on the Lab
Worksheet.
5. Wait until the ice has completely melted.
(Depending on the air temperature, this
may take about 10 minutes.)
6. Once the ice has melted, find the volume of
water in the graduated cylinder. Record this
result in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.
7. Subtract the initial water volume from the
final water volume to find the change in water
volume from the melting sea ice. Record this
volume in milliliters in Data Table 3 on the Lab
Worksheet.
8. Adjust the level of water in the graduated
cylinder so it again reads 50 mL. Record
this level as the initial water volume for
melting glacial ice in Data Table 3 on the Lab
Worksheet.
9. Place the funnel in the top of the cylinder.
10. Place 2 ice cubes in the funnel (see Figure 9,
right).

11. Wait until the ice has completely
melted. (Depending on the air tempera-
ture, this may take about 10 minutes.)
Figure 9.
Steps 2 and 3 Steps 8–10
12. Once the ice has melted, find the volume
of the water in the graduated cylinder.
Record this result in Data Table 3 on the Lab
Worksheet.
13. Subtract the initial water volume from the
final water volume to find the change in
water volume from the melting glacial ice.
Record this volume in milliliters in Data Table
3 on the Lab Worksheet.
to your lab report.
Graphing
1. Use your data from Activity 1 to prepare
a graph of your results. You may choose

to prepare either a bar graph of the final
temperatures of the 2 thermometers showing
the difference between them (worth “Basic”
points on the scoring rubric) or a line graph
of the temperatures every minute for both
thermometers, showing the differences
in the temperature trends between the
2 thermometers (worth “Distinguished”
points on the scoring rubric). For either
graph, temperature in degrees Celsius (the
dependent variable) is on the vertical axis.
For the line graph, time in minutes (the
independent variable) will be on the horizontal
axis. You may create your graph in Excel
or in an online graphing program like this
one: https://plot.ly/create/#/. If you prefer to
prepare a graph by hand, you are required
to use graph paper to do so; graphs drawn
freehand on blank paper will not be accepted.
You can print graph paper for free here: http://
www.printfreegraphpaper.com/
2. Repeat Step 1 using your Activity 2 data
to prepare a second graph of your results.
Again, you can prepare a bar graph
for “Basic” credit or a line graph for
“Distinguished” credit.
3. Finally, graph your results from Activity
3. Prepare a bar graph that shows the
differences in water volume for the melting
sea ice versus the melting glacial ice. The
difference in water volume before and after
the ice melted (in milliliters) will be on the
vertical axis.

Submission
Using the Lab Report Template provided,
submit your completed report to Waypoint for
grading. It is not necessary to turn in the Lab
Worksheet.
Disposal and Cleanup
1. Rinse and dry the graduated cylinder, and
return it to the equipment kit.
2. If you do not have a further use for the
thermometers, consider donating them to the
science program of a local school.
3. Dispose of all other materials. The plastic
funnel may be recyclable.
https://plot.ly/create/#/
http://www.printfreegraphpaper.com/
http://www.printfreegraphpaper.com/
ACTIVITY
Lab Worksheet
Hypotheses
Activity 1.
Activity 2.
Activity 3.

Modeling the Greenhouse Effect
Time
(min)
Bare
thermometer
(˚C)
Thermometer
in cup
(˚C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

11
12
13
14
Observations/Data Tables
Data Table 1.
Modeling Albedo
Time
(min)
Temperature of water in cup
with dark paper on the top (˚C)
Temperature of water in cup
with aluminum foil on the top (˚C)
Temperature
Difference
0
1
2
3

4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Data Table 2.
Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level Rise
Initial Water
Volume (mL)
Final Water Volume
after Ice Melt (mL)
Change in Water Volume
(Final Volume—
Initial Volume) (mL)

Melting Sea Ice
(ice cubes in graduated
cylinder)
Melting Glacial Ice
(ice cubes in funnel)
Data Table 3.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Climate Change
Investigation Manual
www.carolina.com/distancelearning
866.332.4478
Carolina Biological Supply Company
www.carolina.com • 800.334.5551
©2019 Carolina Biological Supply Company
CB781611908 ASH_V2.2
http://www.carolina.com/distancelearning
http://www.carolina.comClimate ChangeTable of
ContentsOverviewOutcomesTime
RequirementsKeyBackgroundThe AtmosphereThe Role of the
OceansGreenhouse GasesPotential Feedback LoopsPossible
ConsequencesModelingMaterialsIncluded in the materials
kit:Needed from the equipment kit:Needed but not
supplied:SafetyPreparationACTIVITYACTIVITY 1A Modeling
the Greenhouse EffectACTIVITY 2A Modeling

AlbedoACTIVITY 3A Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level
RiseGraphingSubmissionDisposal and CleanupLab
WorksheetHypothesesObservations/Data Tables
Introduction to Graphing
Investigation
Manual
INTRODUCTION TO GRAPHING
.........................................
.......................................
..........................................
Table of Contents
2 Overview
2 Objectives
2 Time Requirements
3 Background
7 Materials
7 Safety
7 Activity
9 Activity 2
11 Activity 3
Overview
Scientific investigation requires the analysis and interpretation

of
data. Knowing how to graph and what the different components
mean allow for an accurate analysis and understanding of data.
In
this investigation you will practice creating graphs and use
some
simple statistical tools to analyze graphs and datasets.
Objectives
• Cr eate graphs from datasets, both by hand and
electronically.
• Analyze the data in the graphs.
• Compare the slope of trendlines to interpret the results of
an
experiment.
Time Requirements
Activity 1: Graphing by Hand 20 minutes
Activity 2: Computer Graphing 20 minutes
Activity 3: Linear Regression 20 minutes
Key
Personal protective
equipment
(PPE)
goggles gloves apron
follow
link to
video
photograph
results and
submit

stopwatch
required
warning corrosion flammable toxic environment health
hazard
Made ADA compliant by
NetCentric Technologies using
the CommonLook® software
3www.carolina.com/distancelearning
Background
Science requires the collection of data to test
hypotheses in order to see if it supports or
does not support ideas behind the experiment.
Collecting data creates a record of observations
from experiments that is needed to ensure the
ideas in a hypothesis are accurate. This allows
the scientist to better understand the processes
they are investigating. Sharing data is critical
since it allows other scientists to examine the
experimental setting and draw conclusions
based on the data obtained. It also allows for
the replication and comparison of data obtained
in the experiment to confirm results and conclu-
sions. This will aid in the understanding of a
scientific principle.
Table 1, shows data from a study of plants. Two
types of plants, wheat and rye, were grown

over 8 weeks, and the height of the plants were
measured in centimeters (cm).
The aim of this experiment was to examine
growth rates of the two plant types in
comparison with each other in order to
find out which grows under a certain set of
environmental circumstances.
When looking at an experiment, the
experimenter is typically looking at variables that
will impact the result. A variable is something
that can be changed within an experiment.
An independent variable is something the
experimenter has control over and is able
to change in the experiment. Time can be a
common independent variable as the total
duration of the experiment can be changed or
the intervals at which data is collected can be
changed. A dependent variable changes based
on its association with an independent variable.
In the data from Table 1, the measured height of
the plant was the dependent variable. The aim of
Table 1.
Week
Height in cm
Wheat Plant 1 Wheat Plant 2 Wheat Plant 3 Rye Plant 1 Rye
Plant 2 Rye Plant 3
1 2.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0
2 3.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 2.0 1.0
3 5.0 5.0 3.0 1.0 2.0 2.0

4 6.0 6.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 3.0
5 7.0 7.0 5.0 3.0 4.0 3.0
6 9.0 8.0 7.0 3.0 4.0 3.0
7 10.0 9.0 7.0 4.0 5.0 4.0
8 10.0 10.0 7.0 5.0 6.0 5.0
experiments is to determine how an independent
variable impacts the dependent variable. This
data can then be used to test the hypothesis
which has been made at the beginning of the
experiment.
Data can be presented in different ways. One
way is to organize it into a table as it is being
collected. When working with a limited amount
of data points, this can be the best option; for
larger studies, the data in data tables can be
overwhelming and difficult to interpret. To help
see the trends in large data sets, a scientist
may rely on summary statistics and graphical

representations of the data.
Summary Statistics
Summary statistics are methods of taking many
data points and combining them into just a few
numbers. The most common summary statistic
is an average, or arithmetic mean. An average
is the sum of a group of numbers, divided by
how many numbers were in the set. To find
the arithmetic mean you find the sum of the data
to be averaged and divide by the number of
data points. For instance: If we wanted to find
the average wheat plant height in week 8 from
the above data we would perform the following
calculations:
Equation 1:
In this equation, x1 indicates the first number in
a data set, x2 would be the second number, and
so on. xn is the last number in the set. The “n”
is the number of items in the set. So a dataset
with 8 numbers would go up to x8. This is the
same “n” that the sum of the numbers is divided
by. Using equation 1 for the wheat plant height
in week 8 would give the following equation.
Since there are 3 wheat plants in week 8, there
are 3 numbers that would be added together
(x1 x2 x3) divided by the number of plants (3).
In science it is important to know how much
variation is found in the data collected. The
most common measurement of variation is the
standard deviation. To calculate the standard

deviation:
1. Calculate the average of a data set.
2. Calculate the difference between each data
point and the average.
3. Squar e the result.
4. Find the average of these squar es. This
yields the variance (σ2).
5. Taking the square root of the variance gives
the standard deviation (SD) as seen in
Table 2.
The standard deviation is an indication of the
distribution of your data. In the example above,
the average height of the plants was 9 cm. The
standard deviation was 1.4 cm. Statistically this
indicates that 68% of the data was within
1.4 cm of the average. In this way it is a useful
tool to gauge how close the results on an
experiment are to each other.
Table 2.
Height at Week 8 (cm) Difference from Average Difference
Squared
Wheat Plant 1 10 10 – 9 = 1 (1)2 = 1

Wheat Plant 2 10 10 – 9 = 1 (1)2 = 1
Wheat Plant 3 7 7 – 9 = -2 (-2)2 = 4
Average Variance
Standard Deviation
Interpreting Graphs in Scientific Literature
and Popular Press
Graphs are an excellent way to summarize
and easily visualize data. Care must be taken
when interpreting data from a graph or chart.
Information can be lost in summarization and
this may be critical to our
interpretation. For example,
in Figure 1, the average age
of 4 groups of people was
graphed using a bar graph. A
bar graph is most useful when
directly comparing data as it
allows for differences to be
more easily seen at a glance.
Looking at Figure 1, it is
tempting to conclude that the
difference between Groups
1 and 2 is much greater than
between Groups A and B.
However, if we look at a graph
of all the data that went into
the average age, we can see
that the variance in Groups 1 and 2 is much
greater than in Groups A and B (Figure 2).

This information can be conveyed in the graph
by the use of error bars. Error bars are a graph-
ical representation of the variance in a dataset.
Figure 1.
The chart below uses the
standard deviations from the
data to show the variance of
the data. There are multiple
ways to represent variance,
so it is important that the
caption of the figure tells the
reader what measure is being
represented by the error bars
(Figure 3).
Standard deviation is highly
influenced by outliers, or
data points that are highly
unusual compared to the
rest of the data, so scientists
frequently use confidence
intervals to represent vari-
ance on graphs. Confidence
intervals express the proba-
bility that a data point will fall
within the error bars, so error
bars with a 99% confidence

interval say that 99% of the
data will fall between the
error bars. Confidence inter-
vals are typically published
at 99%, 95%, or 90%. The
main point is that when error
bars overlap, as they do
when comparing Group 1
with Group 2, it is not strong
evidence that there is a
difference between the two
groups, even if the averages
are far apart. A real differ-
ence is more likely between
Group A and Group B.
Figure 2.
Figure 3.
Materials
Needed but not supplied:
• Graphing Softwar e (Excel ®, Open Office® , etc.)
• Printer to print graphing paper
Safety
There are no safety concerns for this lab.
ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 1
A Graphing by Hand
A common method to look at data is to create
an x,y scatter graph. In this first activity, you will
create two graphs of the data from Table 1.
1. Print 2 copies of the graphing sheet found on
page 13.
2. Title the first graph “Wheat plant height by
week.”
3. Title the second graph “Rye plant height by
week” and set aside for later.
4. At the bottom of the graph there is a space to
label the x-axis. The x-axis runs from left to
right, with smaller numbers starting on the left
and the numbers increasing as you move to
the right.
5. At the left of the graph there is a space to
label the y-axis. The y-axis runs from the
bottom to top of the graph, with smaller
numbers starting at the bottom and the size
of the numbers increasing as you move up.
6. You will now label each axis and decide which
pieces of data will be our x-values and our
y-values, respectively.
7. One method to determine which data should
be your x versus y axis is to think about the
goal of the experiment. The y-axis should be
for data that you measured for, the dependent
variable. In the data set in Table 1, the

scientists were measuring the height each
week. This means that the height is the
dependent variable.
8. Label the y-axis “Height (cm).” It is important
to always include the unit of measurement on
the axis. In this case the unit is centimeters
(cm).
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY 1 continued
9. The x-axis is the independent variable, the
parameter of the experiment that can be
controlled. In this experiment the scientists
were controlling when they measured the
height.
10. Label the x-axis “Time (weeks).” This
indicates that a measurement was taken
each week.
11. Locate the lower left corner of the graph.
This will be the origin of your graph. The
origin on a graph is where both the values of
x and the values of y are 0. If the numbers
in a data set are all positive (i.e. there are no
negative numbers) it is a best practice to set
the origin in the lower left corner. This allows

the view of the data to be maximized.
12. The axes then need to be numerically
labeled. Referring to Figure 4, label each
axis from 0 to 14 along the darker lines.
Figure 4.
13. Starting with the “Wheat Plant 1” data in
Table 1, count over 1 (for week 1) on the
x-axis for time, then count up to 2 from there
to indicate 2 cm. Place a dot at this point
14. Repeat this process for the remaining data
points for “Wheat Plant 1.” Your graph
should now look like Figure 4.
15. Using this same pr ocess, graph the data
for “Wheat Plant 2” and “Wheat Plant 3” on
the same graph. You will need to be able to
distinguish the data from each set from each
other. Use different colors, or symbols to
make this differentiation.
16. When complete, compar e your graph to
Figure 5. Your exact colors or symbols may
be different, but the data should be in the
same locations.
Figure 5.

17. You can now create a legend. The legend is
what shows another person what the points
on your graph represent. Refer to Figure 5
for an example legend for this graph.
18. Create your legend. It is below the x-axis
label as in Figure 5. The legend can be
anywhere on the graph, so long as it does
not interfere with the reading of the graph.
19. Create your own graph of the data for “Rye
plant height by week.” Use the process
outlined in this activity to graph all of the
data for each plant.
ACTIVITY 2
A Computer Graphing
Graphing by hand can be useful for observing
trends in small data sets. However, as the quan-
tity of the data grows it can be useful to graph
using a computer. This activity will give a general
outline of how to graph on a computer. Please
note Microsoft Excel® was used to generate
the figures for this activity. Your exact soft-
ware may look different or have slightly
different labeling than what you will see here.
You may need to refer to the documentation
of your exact program to determine how to
perform a particular step.
In this activity you will graph the data from
Table 1 into your computer.

1. Open a new workbook. This will open a new
sheet (Figure 6).
Figure 6.
2. Y ou will see a large sheet with lettered
columns and numbered rows. These letters
and numbers can be used to refer to a
specific cell (the box
where information
can be typed.) For
example the upper left
cell is A1 representing
column A, row 1.
3. Starting in cell A1
type “Week.” In cell
B1 type “Wheat Plant
1.” Continue across
putting each title in
a new cell in the first
row.
4. Move to r ow 2. Type the corresponding
numbers under the correct column.
5. Continue until your table looks like Table 1.
6. Select the data for W eek thru Wheat Plant 3.
You can do this by clicking on cell A1 and
then dragging down and over to cell D9. All
of the data and titles should be selected for
the wheat plant (Figure 7).
Figure 7.

ACTIVITY
NOTE: The next several
steps may vary greatly
depending on the exact
software you are using, but
the goal is the same.
7. Find the menu labeled
“Insert.”
8. Among the “Charts” find
“Scatter,” or “x,y Scatter,”
and click it.
9. A basic graph similar to
Figure 8 should appear.
Figure 8.
10. Edit the chart title so that
it matches the one created
in Activity 1. This can
usually be accomplished
by clicking (or double
clicking) on the title and
then typing.
11. You can then add a label

to each axis. This step in
particular is very different
depending on your
software. You will typically
be looking for a menu
option titled “Axis Title.”
You will need to do this
twice, once for each axis.
Your graph should now
look like Figure 9. You will
use this graph again in
Activity 3.
Figure 9.
ACTIVITY 3
A Linear Regression
Typically if you are graphing using an x,y scatter
plot you are looking for trends (a recognizable
pattern) in your data. In this activity you are
looking to see if there is a trend in height of
the plants over time. More specifically, you are
looking for the rate at which the plants grew.
This rate can be determined from the graph
produced in Activity 2.
1. In your graph fr om Activity 2, click on a point
from the Wheat Plant 1 dataset.
2. Right-click on the data point and select “Add

Trendline.”
3. Select “Linear.”
4. Select “Display Equation on chart.”
5. The equation displayed on the graph should
read y = 1.2381x + 0.9286. Write this in
“Wheat Plant 1 trendline equation” in the Data
Table.
This is the equation of the line. In its general
form is y = mx + b . The “m” symbol stands for
the slope of the line. The slope is how far the line
rises (y) over a certain distance (x.) The “b” is
called the y-intercept; this is the point at which
the line crosses the y-axis. For the equation from
step 6, this would mean that “1.2381” would be
the slope and “0.9286” would be the y-intercept.
This equation allows you to find the length of
a plant at a certain time. For example, if you
wanted to determine the height of the plant in
week 9, based on this equation the estimated
height would be 12.0715 cm.
Y = 1.2381 * 9 + 0.9286
Y = 12.0715 cm
Since the slope is calculated from
it uses the same units as the dataset. In this
case, this means that the slope has units of .
The slope then means that on average, Wheat
Plant 1 grew 1.2381 centimeters per week.
The y-intercept indicates that at week 0 the

plant was likely 0.9286 cm tall. However, in
this experiment the plants were all grown from
seeds, so at week 0 they should have a height of
0. This information can be added to a trendline
without having to add to a dataset.
6. Right click on the trendline and select
“Format Trendline.”
7. Select “Set Intercept” and set the number to
0. This is setting the y-intercept to 0. You can
do this whenever you know the exact value
of your dependent variable at the 0 for the
x-axis.
8. Write the new trendline in “Wheat Plant 1
trendline corrected” in the Data Table.
9. Using the same procedure, create a corrected
trendline for each additional wheat plant on
the graph. Write the corrected equation for
each in the data table.
10. Based on the corrected trend lines, which
wheat plant grew fastest? Record your
answer in the data table.
ACTIVITY

Data Table.
Wheat Plant 1 trendline equation
Wheat Plant 1 trendline corrected
Wheat plant with fastest growth
Title:
_____________________________________________________
_____
La
be
l (
y-
ax
is
):
__
__
__

__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
__
_
Label (x-axis):
_________________________________________________

NOTES
•
CB781021610
Introduction to Graphing
Investigation Manual
www.carolina.com/distancelearning
866.332.4478
Carolina Biological Supply Company
www.carolina.com 800.334.5551
©2016 Carolina Biological Supply Company
http://www.carolina.comIntroduction to GraphingTable of
ContentsOverviewObjectivesTime
RequirementsKeyBackgroundSummary StatisticsInterpreting
Graphs in Scientific Literature and Popular
PressMaterialsSafetyACTIVITY 1A Graphing by
HandACTIVITY 2A Computer GraphingACTIVITY 3A Linear
RegressionData Table.NOTES

Running head: NAME OF LAB
1
Running head: NAME OF LAB
3
Name of Lab
Your Name
SCI 207: Our Dependence Upon the Environment
Instructor’s Name
Date
*This template will enable you to produce a polished Lab
Report. Simply complete each section below, pasting in all
your completed data tables, graphs, and photographs where
indicated. Before you submit your Lab Report, it is
recommended that you run it through Turnitin, using the student
folder, to ensure protection from accidental plagiarism. Please
delete this purple text, and all the instructions below, before
submitting your final report.
Title of Lab Goes Here
Introduction
Background paragraph: Provide background on the lab topic,
explaining the key concepts covered in the lab and defining (in
your own words) important terms relating to the lab. Explain
why the lab topic is important to scientists. Using APA format,
cite at least two outside credible sources (sources other than
textbook or lab manual) in your statement.
Your background paragraph should be 5-7 original,
substantive sentences long.
Objectives paragraph:
In 4-5 sentences, explain the purpose of this lab.
What is it intended to examine or test?

Hypotheses paragraph: State your hypotheses for this lab. Be
sure to cover all the lab activities, one at a time. For each
hypothesis, explain why you originally thought that would
happen.
Note: Do not mention the actual results of the lab here – they go
later in the report.
For additional help in writing your Introduction section, refer to
the Ashford Writing Center Resource,
Introductions and Conclusions.
Materials and Methods
Using your own words, describe what you did in each of the lab
activities. Answers should enable a lab report reader to repeat
the lab just as you did it – a process known as
replication. Clearly explain any measurements you
made (including the measurement units).
Results
Data Tables: Copy and paste each of your completed data tables
here, in order (
Weeks One, Two, Four, and Five Labs only).
Observations: Provide your observations for each lab activity
here, in order (
Week Three Lab only)
Graphs: Paste your graphs
here (
Week Four Lab only). Include a numbered figure
caption below each one, in APA format.
Photographs: Paste your photographs here, in the order they
were taken in the lab. Include numbered figure captions below
each one, in APA format.

For additional help with the data tables and images, refer to the
Ashford Writing Center resource,
Tables, Images, and Appendices.
Discussion
Accept or reject hypotheses paragraph: Based upon the results
of each lab activity, explain whether you accepted or rej ected
each of your hypotheses, and why.
Follow these steps:
· Restate your original hypothesis for the lab activity.
· Communicate the results of the lab. Then,
· Compare your hypothesis to the results of the lab and decide
whether to accept your hypothesis or reject it.
· State if your hypothesis is supported or not, and explain with
evidence.
· Move on to the next lab activity and repeat the process.
What I have learned paragraph: What important new things have
you learned from this lab? Use at least one credible outside
source (not the lab manual or textbook) to answer this question.
Cite the source using
APA format.
Answers should be 5-7 original, substantive sentences
in length.
Sources of error paragraph: What challenges did you encounter
when completing this lab? (Identify at least one.) How might
those challenges that you experienced have affected the
accuracy of the results that you obtained?
Future research paragraph: Based upon what you learned i n this
lab, what new questions do you have about the topic of this lab?
In a few sentences, how might you design a new lab activity to
answer those questions?
References

List the references that you cited in your report, in APA format
and alphabetically by author’s last name.
If you did not actually cite the source somewhere in
your paper, do not include it.
For additional help in formatting your resources section, refer
to the Ashford Writing Center’s resource for
Formatting your Reference List.
Lab Worksheet
Hypotheses
Activity 1.
Activity 2.
Activity 3.

Observations/Data Tables
Data Table 1: Modelling the Greenhouse Effect
Time (min)
Bare thermometer
(degrees C)
Thermometer in cup (degrees C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6

7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Data Table 2: Modelling Albedo
Time (min)
Temperature of water in cup with dark paper on the top

(degrees C)
Temperature of water in cup with aluminum foil on the top
(degrees C)
Temperature Difference (degrees C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Data Table 3. Sea Ice, Glacier Ice, and Sea Level Rise

Initial Water Volume
(mL)
Final Water Volume after Ice Melt
(mL)
Change in Water Volume (Final Volume – Initial Volume)
(mL)
Melting Sea Ice
(ice cubes in graduated cylinder)
Melting Glacier Ice
(ice cubes in funnel)

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