Using a mass balance model to understand carbon dioxide and its connection to global warming

Robert MacKay, SERC - Teaching Quantitative Skills in Geoscience Collection

Students explore the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide over the past 40 years with an interactive online model. They use the model and observations to estimate present emission rates and emission growth rates. The model is then used to estimate future levels of carbon dioxide using different future emission scenarios. These different scenarios are then linked by students to climate model predictions also used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

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Notes from our reviewers

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Excellent extension activities that educator should consider.
Model is somewhat of a 'black box'; however this is a simple model and a supplementary page describes the basis for it. Could use more recent data, but that doesn't change the basic lesson or the effectiveness of this activity. Simplified modeling exercise appropriate for college students who are not science majors or who are at the introductory level. Thorough background materials are available for educators. Comments from expert scientist: This e-learning activity explains in a simple way some important concepts about greenhouse gases evolution and its connection to global warming. This material was built on a solid scientific basis and is a reliable source of information.