®
Level C
Vol. 26, No. 01
Climate Change What Decides The Climate?
DID YOU KNOW??
The atmosphere is the protective sh ield around the plane t and is made up of ga ses.
atmosphere
Weather (weath-er) and climate (cli-mate) are not the same. Climate is the average weather over a long time. Earth’s water, land and atmosphere (at-mo-sphere) make up the climate system. The climate system decides what the climate will be. Earth gets its energy from the Sun. The atmosphere circles Earth and protects it from getting too hot or too cold. Gases like carbon dioxide (car-bon di-ox-ide) can get trapped in the atmosphere. When this happens, the climate can get much hotter. It can feel like being inside of a greenhouse. It is called the “greenhouse effect.”
Science says… Earth is in energy balance when it gives off the same amount of energy as it absorbs (ab-sorbs).
energy from the Sun
DID YOU KNOW??
Earth has warmed 2° F over the last 50 years. Sea levels have risen 2.5 inches.
levels of the atmosphere ozone layer trapped heat and carbon dioxide Earth
Do Our Actions Affect The Climate? SCIENCE
When too many gases fill the atmosphere over a long time, it can cause “global warming” (glo-bal warm-ing). Scientists have studied global warming over the last 50 years. Most scientists agree that global warming is caused by humans. Too many gases get into the atmosphere when people use too much energy. This can be from electricity, transportation or industry (in-dus-try). C-1
Vocabulary Choose the best word or phrase. Fill in the blank.
global warming climate greenhouse effect
Climate system is to
as
clouds and water are to rain. Carbon dioxide is to
as
rain is to a rising river. Greenhouse effect is to
as
a rising river is to a flood. BONUS: Earth’s is to human health as shoelaces are to shoes. (See page 1.)
Weekly Lab
Adult Supervision Recommended 2 jars with lids
Main Question: Will two different systems trap heat the same way? You need: two 12-oz mason jars with lids; two small thermometers to fit in the jars, scotch tape, 1 cup dirt, 1 cup sand, sunny window or heat lamp, pencil, science journal Step 1: Label the jars “1” and “2.” Trial 1 Trial 1 Step 2: Tape a thermometer on the upper Jar 1 Jar 2 5 inside wall of each jar. (Face the °F thermometers toward the inside of the jars.) Step 3: Place the dirt into jar 1 and close °C the lid. Step 4: Place the sand into jar 2 and close the lid. 2 Step 5: Trial 1 – Read the temperatures thermometer inside each jar and fill in the chart for tape Fahrenheit (°F) and Celsius (°C). Step 6: Place the jars in the sunny window. Wait 30 minutes. Step 7: Trial 2 – Read the temperatures inside each jar and fill in the chart for Fahrenheit and Celsius. sunny Which jar got hotter? Why do you think this happened? window
1
Trial 2 Jar 1
3
Trial 2 Jar 2
7
4
dirt
sand
6 wait 30 minutes
SCIENCE WEEKLY, Level C (ISSN 8756-1778), September 1, 2009 is published fifteen times per year: twice per month in September, October, November, January, February, March and April; and once in December. Copyright © 2009 (Level C) CAM Publishing Group., Inc., 2141 Industrial Pkwy., Suite 201-B, Silver Spring, MD 20904-7824 U.S.A. (301) 680-8804 (800) 4-WEEKLY. Classroom subscription rate: (minimum 20 subscriptions to same address): $4.95 per student, per school year. Individual rate for orders less than 20 subscriptions: $19.95 per student, per year , payable in advance. Periodical postage paid at Silver Spring, Maryland and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Science Weekly, Level C, P.O. Box 70638, Chevy Chase, MD 20813-0638. Visit our web site at www.scienceweekly.com. C-2
Math What happened to the temperature in each jar when exposed to heat? Which climate system appeared to absorb more heat? Fill in the temperatures from your data chart. Solve the math sentences. Trial 2 Jar 1
Trial 1 Jar 1
–
°F Trial 2 Jar 1
Trial 1 Jar 1
–
Trial 2 Jar 2
Trial 2 Jar 2
Trial 1 Jar 2
Trial 2 Hotter Jar °C
Difference Jar 2 (°C)
= Trial 2 Cooler Jar
–
Difference Between Jars (°C)
=
The climate system that absorbed more heat was the one with
Writing in Science
Difference Jar 2 (°F)
=
–
°C
Difference Between Jars (°F)
=
Trial 1 Jar 2
–
°F
Difference Jar 1 (°C)
= Trial 2 Cooler Jar
Trial 2 Hotter Jar °F
=
–
°C
Difference Jar 1 (°F)
dirt
sand.
DID YOU KNOW??
Since the beginnin g of the industrial revolut ion (about 1750), hu man increased their en s have er gy use and have intensifi ed the greenhouse gas ef fect.
Look at your WEEKLY LAB results. Did the temperatures increase in both jars? Which jar increased more? Do you think it would be healthier to live surrounded by sand or dirt? Think carefully. Write three sentences and use descriptive words.
DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
Published by CAM Publishing Group, Inc., Silver Spring, MD • Publisher, DR. CLAUDE MAYBERRY, JR. • Senior Editor, DR. LAURA GEHL • Writer, MONICA BAKER • Artist, LINDA KING • Graphic Design and Production, LINDA KING • Materials in this issue may not be r eproduced in whole or in par t in any form without special permission from the publisher. C-3
Challenge
Write a letter to a friend and ask him or her to be your “green pal!” When people use too much energy it increases global warming. What are some ways you can help each other be more careful about energy use? Write about some ways you can REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE.
Science says… Energy use gives off carbon dioxide. The amount given off by something is called its “carbon footprint.” Some things make a bigger carbon footprint than others.
Green Pals
SCIENCE
Puzzle
You Know What To Do! – REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE! Reduce
Turn off lights and electronics.
Recycle
Walk or ride your bike.
Always recycle paper, plastic, glass and aluminum.
Take shorter showers.
Pour your leftover water into the dog’s bowl, and then on a plant!
Avoid plastic wrap and packaging.
Cut out the shapes and paste them together on a separate sheet of paper to make a happier, healthier planet Earth.
C-4
Use both sides of a piece of paper.
Reuse Use refillable water bottles. Wash and reuse aluminum foil. Use cloth, not paper towels. Pack a lunch box.
“I want to make cookies. How do I know how much flour to add?”
“You need to measure!”
“We’ll learn all about measurement in our next issue.”