Towards a global climate model

This activity should be carried out after the introductory activity "Understanding the climatic greenhouse effect".

Here we'll explore a model of the planet's climate that includes several components: greenhouse gases (GHGs), as well as clouds and snow and ice on the Earth's surface. You'll discover how these elements interact with visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) radiation to influence the planet's temperature.

Duration: 90 to 135 minutes

Level: Secondary 2 (high school)

How to use: Click on the Preview button to visualize the activity. Click on the three dots to copy the activity to your Graasp space and share it with your students.

Learning objectives: At the end of the activity, students will be able to

1. Recognize the different VIS and IR radiations involved in the model
2. Describe how these radiations are affected by variables (clouds, cryosphere, GHG concentrations)
3. Define the notion of radiative flux in W/m2
4. Identify the fluxes leaving the atmosphere (contributing to reducing the planet's thermal energy)
5. Establish an energy balance at the top of the atmosphere to determine whether the planet is at thermal equilibrium or whether the temperature will increase/decrease
6. Recognize that the thermal flux emitted by the surface is a function of the temperature, allowing a new equilibrium to be reached
7. Define the albedo and greenhouse effect parameters as flux ratios ; recognize the elements that contribute to albedo
8. Predict how the fluxes leaving the atmosphere and temperature will evolve as a function of albedo and greenhouse effect parameters
9. Graphically find the relationship between thermal flux and temperature (enabling equilibrium temperature to be calculated)
10. Explain how the "ice-albedo" and "water vapor" feedbacks amplify climate change