Resources: Worksheet, PhET - The Greenhouse Effect, The Monash University Simple Climate Model

The Greenhouse Effect is a physical process where an atmosphere covering a planet retains some thermal electromagnetic radiation emitted by the planet's surface. The atmosphere is able to do this because of the presence of greenhouse gases - molecules that allow visible light to pass through, but not infrared light. Climate change is a phenonenon present on Earth whereby the temperature of the Earth is continually rising from the presence of excess greenhouse gases entering into the Earth's atmosphere. In today's lab, you will study the steps of the Greenhouse Effect in more detail and discover how it and other processes change the Earth's climate.

Greenhouse effect cartoon
Image credit: NASA

Learning Goals: Students will investigate the Greenhouse Effect and work to better understand its impact on Earth's climate.