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EAS Lab 3 Pt 3 Task 3 Notes

Overview of the Lab

  • This lab analyzes temperature trends over time using graphs of annual temperature versus time from 1880-2006 and 1975-2006.

  • The primary goal is to understand how global temperatures have changed and the factors influencing these changes, particularly the role of carbon dioxide.

Main Topics

  1. Temperature Trends:

    • Examination of temperature changes from 1880 to 2006 and 1975 to 2006.

    • Observation of rising temperatures and identification of warm and cold years.

  2. Slope Analysis:

    • Understanding the slope of a line and its significance in representing the rate of temperature change.

    • Comparison of slopes between different time periods to show acceleration in temperature rise.

  3. Carbon Dioxide and Greenhouse Gases:

    • The relationship between increasing carbon dioxide concentrations and rising temperatures.

    • The role of human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, in increasing atmospheric CO2.

  4. Predictive Factors:

    • Assessing CO2 as a predictor of temperature and acknowledging other factors influencing global warming.

Ways to Solve the Lab and Things to Know

  1. Interpreting Graphs:

    • Analyze the general appearance of the temperature curves (rising or falling).

    • Identify and correlate high and low points with carbon concentrations.

  2. Understanding Slope:

    • Use the formula of a line (y = mx + b) to understand slope (m) and y-intercept (b).

    • Recognize that a positive slope indicates increasing temperature, while a steeper slope means a faster rate of increase.

  3. CO2 and Temperature Connection:

    • Recognize that increasing CO2 in the atmosphere traps heat, causing temperatures to rise.

    • Understand that while CO2 is a significant predictor, other factors also contribute to global warming.

  4. Data Analysis:

    • Use sufficient data (30-50 years) to observe clear trends in global warming due to natural climate variations.

Practice Question

If the slope of the annual temperature vs. time graph from 2000-2020 is 0.025, and the y-intercept is -30.0, what is the predicted temperature increase from 2000 to 2020, and what does this indicate about the rate of global warming during this period?