Greenhouse gases and global warming
I can describe greenhouse gases and the effects of adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
- Year 8
Greenhouse gases and global warming
I can describe greenhouse gases and the effects of adding more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is leading to global warming and climate change
- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, released by living organisms and produced when burning fuels
- Methane is a greenhouse gas, released by living organisms and from the ground
- Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can reduce the rate of global warming and may even help to reverse it
Keywords
Greenhouse effect - the effect of some gases in the atmosphere that keep Earth’s surface warmer than it would be without them
Greenhouse gases - gases in the atmosphere that keep it warmer than it would be without them
Global warming - the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature
Carbon dioxide - a compound made of carbon and oxygen (CO₂) that is a gas at room temperature
Methane - a compound made of carbon and hydrogen (CH₄) that is a gas at room temperature
Common misconception
The greenhouse effect is the same as global warming.
Discuss the natural greenhouse effect and how it enables life on Earth to flourish. Emphasise that global warming refers to an increasing temperature, rather than to a temperature that is warmer.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
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