Topic 18: Chemistry of the Air and Green Chemistry
In this WebQuest you need to:
- Explain that infrared radiation is absorbed by C=O, O–H and C–H bonds in H2O, CO2 and CH4, and that these absorptions contribute to global warming;
- Explain that the ‘Greenhouse Effect’ of a given gas is dependent both on its atmospheric concentration and its ability to absorb infrared radiation;
- Outline the importance of controlling global warming resulting from atmospheric increases in greenhouse gases;
- Outline the role of chemists in minimising climate change resulting from global warming by:
- Providing scientific evidence to governments to verify that global warming is taking place;
- Investigating solutions to environmental problems, such as carbon capture and storage;
- Monitoring progress against initiatives such as the Kyoto protocol.
You can present your work in various ways:
- As a webpage on your website
- As a video using Xtranormal or other free video tools
- As a newspaper article
- As a scientific journal
Helpful Links
- Acid rain
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This is from the excellent US Environmental Protection Agency site. There is a mass of information including some experimental work.
- Climate change
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An intelligent (and hype-free) summary of the current thinking of those who believe that carbon dioxide is a major driver of climate change. From the US Environmental Protection Agency.
- The sceptics' view of climate change
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This site provides summaries of articles and other information from climate change sceptics (including scientists) from all over the world. It is added to daily. Beware! - if you read this regularly and open-mindedly for two or three weeks, you will find it quite difficult to accept the view that carbon dioxide is the main driver of climate change.
