Greenhouse gases
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the effect of greenhouse gases on the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere.
Key learning points
- Carbon dioxide and methane are common greenhouse gases.
- Greenhouse gases reduce the amount of lower-energy IR that can escape from Earth’s atmosphere.
- Greenhouse gases do not reduce the amount of higher-energy IR radiation entering the atmosphere from the Sun.
- If the rate energy is transferred into the atmosphere exceeds the rate it is transferred out, average temperatures rise.
- An increasing average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere is called global warming.
Keywords
Greenhouse gas - a gas that contributes to global warming by reducing the amount of radiation leaving Earth’s atmosphere
Infrared (IR) radiation - a type of electromagnetic radiation that we can feel as warmth on our skin
Carbon sink - a process or system that takes more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases
Global warming - increase in Earth’s global temperature, likely caused by more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Common misconception
All greenhouse gases are artificial and harmful. Increasing any greenhouse gas is bad.
Emphasise and explain the natural occurrence and necessity of greenhouse gases. Discuss the effect of human activity increasing amounts of greenhouse gases at a very fast rate.
Teacher tip
It would be good to emphasise that although methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO₂ it does not remain very long in the atmosphere. Reducing CH₄ emissions would have a fast impact on minimising global warming, it would take longer to notice the impact of lowering CO₂ emissions.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following statements about complete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels is correct?
Q2.Why is carbon dioxide considered an atmospheric pollutant?
Q3.Match the greenhouse gas to the correct molecular formula.
CH₄
CO₂
H₂O
Q4.What is the equation for photosynthesis?
Q5.What impact may deforestation have on the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Q6.What key term is used to describe the number of waves that pass a point per second?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of the following are greenhouse gases?
Q2.Which of the following human activities have led to increased levels of greenhouse gases?
Q3.How does the infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface differ from the infrared radiation emitted from the Sun?
Q4.What do greenhouse gases do?
Q5.Which of the following statements about the greenhouse effect are correct?
Q6.What key term is used to describe an increase in Earth's average temperature?
To help you plan your 11 combined science lesson on: Greenhouse gases, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 combined science lesson on: Greenhouse gases, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 combined science lessons from the Atmosphere and changing climate unit, dive into the full secondary combined science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.