Atmosphere and changing climate
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Threads
Why this why now
This unit builds on pupils’ prior learning from Carbon cycle and climate change, where they explored the role of carbon in Earth's systems and the impact of human activity on climate. It deepens their understanding by focusing on the composition and evolution of Earth's atmosphere, and how human activities contribute to climate change. This prepares pupils for the next unit, Industrial chemistry, where they will apply their knowledge to understand how large-scale chemical processes interact with environmental systems, reinforcing the connection between industry and climate.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Coal is a sedimentary rock that burns because it is made mostly of carbon, with some impurities.
- The organic matter that formed oil and gas decomposed into hydrocarbons.
- When fuels containing carbon are burned it is common for carbon dioxide to be made.
- Less than 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere is carbon dioxide.
- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
- In the atmosphere, some gases are greenhouse gases and have properties that enable its temperature to rise over time.
- Combustion increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Threads
Why this why now
This unit builds on pupils’ prior learning from Carbon cycle and climate change, where they explored the role of carbon in Earth's systems and the impact of human activity on climate. It deepens their understanding by focusing on the composition and evolution of Earth's atmosphere, and how human activities contribute to climate change. This prepares pupils for the next unit, Industrial chemistry, where they will apply their knowledge to understand how large-scale chemical processes interact with environmental systems, reinforcing the connection between industry and climate.
Prior knowledge requirements
- Coal is a sedimentary rock that burns because it is made mostly of carbon, with some impurities.
- The organic matter that formed oil and gas decomposed into hydrocarbons.
- When fuels containing carbon are burned it is common for carbon dioxide to be made.
- Less than 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere is carbon dioxide.
- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.
- In the atmosphere, some gases are greenhouse gases and have properties that enable its temperature to rise over time.
- Combustion increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Chemistry
Atmosphere and changing climate
This unit explores the composition and evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, evidence of climate change, and effects of pollutants like sulphur dioxide. It highlights scientific explanations, ethical considerations, risk evaluation, and the role of peer review in communication.
10 lessons in unit
slide decks, worksheet PDFs, quizzes and lesson overviews. You can select individual lessons from the Atmosphere and changing climate unit and download the resources you need, or download the entire unit now. See every unit listed in our OCR secondary combined science curriculum and discover more of our teaching resources for OCR secondary combined science programmes.