Carbon dioxide (CO2) provides the bubble in your soda pop and the "rise" in your baked goods. But it is also a very significant greenhouse gas. CO2 is important in maintaining the earth's average temperature of about 15°C (59°F). This laboratory experiment will help to explain the concepts of 'sources' and 'sinks' as they relate to CO2. From The National Center for Atmospheric Research and the UCAR Office of Programs (http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_4_2_17t.htm)

Using this lesson in your classroom

Where in the World is CO₂can be used in your classroom to visualize the qualitative differences between animal and fossil fuel sources of global CO₂. For this activity to be most effective, students should have a working knowledge of the carbon cycle.

Students will understand the use of an indicator solution (BTB) to reveal the presence of CO₂.

Students collect and detect relative CO₂ concentrations from a number of natural and human sources

Students gain experience in detecting CO₂ through a bromothymol blue reaction.

Students use a simple titration procedure to quantify the amounts of CO₂ that they collected

Standards:
9.7 D19 9.8 D23 D INQ 1 D INQ 4
Teacher Materials
Teachers Guide and Lesson	[249.0 KB]
Student Lab	[177.0 KB]