Fauna

Carbon Dioxide Increases During the Last 2000 Years.

This graph shows the changes in the This graph shows the changes in the carbon dioxide concentration in the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere during the last 2000 years. It atmosphere during the last 2000 years. It was prepared by the International was prepared by the International Committee on Climate Change in 2008. Committee on Climate Change in 2008.

Atmospheric scientists measure gas Atmospheric scientists measure gas concentrations in parts-per-million (ppm), concentrations in parts-per-million (ppm), which means there is 1 particle of a which means there is 1 particle of a substance for every 1 million particles of the substance for every 1 million particles of the gas that contains it. For carbon dioxide in gas that contains it. For carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a value of 127 ppm would the atmosphere, a value of 127 ppm would correspond to 1,000 gigatons of carbon correspond to 1,000 gigatons of carbon dio

dioxidxide in e in the the atmatmosos herhere.e. Problem 1

Problem 1 - What was the average concentration of carbon dioxide, in ppm, in the- What was the average concentration of carbon dioxide, in ppm, in the atmosphere before the year 1800?

atmosphere before the year 1800?

Problem 2

Problem 2- How many gigatons did this pre-1800 concentration correspond to?- How many gigatons did this pre-1800 concentration correspond to?

Problem 3

Problem 3 - About what was the rate at which the pre-1800 concentration was- About what was the rate at which the pre-1800 concentration was changing during the period from 0 to 1800 according to the graph? Give your changing during the period from 0 to 1800 according to the graph? Give your estimate in ppm per year, and gigatons per year.

estimate in ppm per year, and gigatons per year.

Problem 4

Problem 4 - By what amount, compared to the pre-1800 average, did the- By what amount, compared to the pre-1800 average, did the concentration increase between 1800-2005 in ppm and gigatons?

concentration increase between 1800-2005 in ppm and gigatons?

Problem 5

Problem 5 - What was the annual rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide- What was the annual rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide between 1800 and 2005, in ppm/year and in gigatons/year?

between 1800 and 2005, in ppm/year and in gigatons/year?

Problem 6

Problem 6 - The world population in 1800 was 1 billion while in 2005 it was 6 billion.- The world population in 1800 was 1 billion while in 2005 it was 6 billion. From your answer to Problem 3 and 5, what was the average carbon dioxide From your answer to Problem 3 and 5, what was the average carbon dioxide production per person before 1800, and in 2005 in tons per year per person?

production per person before 1800, and in 2005 in tons per year per person?

Problem 7

Problem 7 - Can you explain why scientists think human activity is to blame for the- Can you explain why scientists think human activity is to blame for the recent rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations since 1800?

Answer Key

Answer Key

Problem 1

Problem 1 - What was the average concentration of carbon dioxide, in ppm, in the- What was the average concentration of carbon dioxide, in ppm, in the atmosphere before the year 1800?

atmosphere before the year 1800? Answer:

Answer: Students may use Students may use a ruler to a ruler to draw a draw a horizontal line that follows the horizontal line that follows the averageaverage values during this period of time. The value would be about

values during this period of time. The value would be about 278 ppm.278 ppm.

Problem 2

Problem 2 - How many gigatons did this pre-1800 concentration correspond to?- How many gigatons did this pre-1800 concentration correspond to? Answer:

Answer: (278 (278 ppm/127 ppm/127 ppm) ppm) x x 1,000 1,000 gigatons gigatons == 2,190 gigatons2,190 gigatons to three significantto three significant figures.

figures.

Problem 3

Problem 3 - About what was the rate at which the pre-1800 concentration was- About what was the rate at which the pre-1800 concentration was changing during the period from 0 to 1800 according to the graph? Give your estimate changing during the period from 0 to 1800 according to the graph? Give your estimate in ppm per year, and gigatons per year. Answer: Students estimates will vary, in ppm per year, and gigatons per year. Answer: Students estimates will vary, especially since the graph does not show an obvious slope. One possibility is that the especially since the graph does not show an obvious slope. One possibility is that the initial value is 277 ppm and the final value is 280 ppm, so the change is +3 ppm over initial value is 277 ppm and the final value is 280 ppm, so the change is +3 ppm over 1800 years or

1800 years or 0.0017 ppm/year0.0017 ppm/year, or , or (0.0017/127) x (0.0017/127) x 1,000 =1,000 = 0.013 gigatons/year0.013 gigatons/year..

Problem 4

Problem 4 - By what amount, compared to the pre-1800 average, did the- By what amount, compared to the pre-1800 average, did the concentration increase between 1800-2005 in ppm and gigatons? Answer: by 2005, concentration increase between 1800-2005 in ppm and gigatons? Answer: by 2005, the concentration had increased to 380 ppm, for a change of 380 - 278 =

the concentration had increased to 380 ppm, for a change of 380 - 278 = 102 ppm102 ppm oror (102/127) x 1000 =

(102/127) x 1000 = 800 gigatons800 gigatons..

Problem 5

Problem 5 - What was the annual rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide- What was the annual rate of increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide between 1800 and

between 1800 and 2005, in ppm/year and 2005, in ppm/year and in gigatons/year? Answer: for a rate in gigatons/year? Answer: for a rate of of 102102 ppm/205 years =

ppm/205 years = 0.5 ppm/year0.5 ppm/year, and (0.5/127) x 1000 =, and (0.5/127) x 1000 = 4.0 gigatons/year4.0 gigatons/year..

Note, this

Note, this rate of rate of increase is increase is 0.5/0.0017 = 0.5/0.0017 = 294 times 294 times faster than faster than the pre-1800the pre-1800 rates we can estimate.

rates we can estimate.

Problem 6

Problem 6 - The world population in 1800 was 1 billion while in 2005 it was 6 billion.- The world population in 1800 was 1 billion while in 2005 it was 6 billion. From your answers to Problem 3 and 5, what was the average carbon dioxide From your answers to Problem 3 and 5, what was the average carbon dioxide production per person before 1800, and in 2005, in tons per year per person? Answer: production per person before 1800, and in 2005, in tons per year per person? Answer: In 1800,

In 1800, 0.01 gigatons/1 0.01 gigatons/1 billion people billion people oror 0.01 tons0.01 tons per person per year. In 2005 it wasper person per year. In 2005 it was 4.0 gigatons/6 billion people =

4.0 gigatons/6 billion people = 0.7 tons/person/year0.7 tons/person/year..

Problem 7

Problem 7 - Can you explain why scientists think human activity is to blame for the- Can you explain why scientists think human activity is to blame for the

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