Benchtop Global-Warming Demonstrations Do Not Exemplify the Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect, but Alternatives Are Available

The atmospheric greenhouse effect is a topic in many science courses. A number of lecture demonstrations with carbon dioxide purport to show how infrared-absorbing atmospheric gases “trap” energy. The demonstration described here shows that the temperature change observed in these demonstrations is...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical education 2019-10, Vol.96 (10), p.2352-2354
Main Author: Bell, Jerry A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmospheric gases
Carbon dioxide
Climate change
Gases
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Infrared imaging systems
Teachers
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Summary:The atmospheric greenhouse effect is a topic in many science courses. A number of lecture demonstrations with carbon dioxide purport to show how infrared-absorbing atmospheric gases “trap” energy. The demonstration described here shows that the temperature change observed in these demonstrations is a consequence of the density of carbon dioxide relative to air, not its infrared-absorbing property. Since the pedagogical value instructors report for the usual demonstration is based on an incorrect interpretation of the temperature change and can lead to a misconception about global warming, suggestions are made for possible replacement demonstrations.
ISSN:0021-9584
1938-1328
DOI:10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b01057