B2 Greenhouse effect in a drinking cup (teacher instruction)

This very simple experiment can be used to teach students to readily recognize and differentiate the physical phenomena underlying the greenhouse effect, such as radiation, reflection, absorp-tion, and heat radiation. The students will need some prior knowledge to be able to interpret the results of the experiment. For this reason, the experiment can be used in two ways: Either as verification of material learned after an introduction of the topics mentioned above, or as an introduc-tion to the greenhouse effect, a hot topic in the news, with further study of the physical principles afterwards. The materials and apparatus supplied for this experiment allow eight groups of students to work simultaneously.

The experiment comprises four subexperiments:
• What influence does it have on the temperature if the cup is closed? – Measurements in an open cup
• What influence does it have on the temperature if the cup is closed? – Measurements in a closed cup
• What influence does the color of the absorber have? – Measurements in a closed cup with a black absorber
• What influence does the color of the absorber have? – Measurements in a closed cup with an aluminum foil absorber

Notes:
• Observe the safety information in the instructions as well as the applicable safety guidelines for your school.
• All materials mentioned in the instructions will have to be purchased directly from commercial sources.

Diesem Medium sind keine weiteren Medien zugeordnet.

Biology; Chemistry; Geography; Physics

Grade 5 to 6; Grade 7 to 9; Grade 10 to 13

Middle/high school

Atmosphere; Climate change; Emission (environment); Environmental education; Greenhouse effect; Heat; Ozone hole; Radiation (general); Sun

Siemens Stiftung Media Portal

Ulrich Mauch, Andreas Rathgeber for Siemens Stiftung

© Siemens Stiftung 2015