Unit A Chemistry - Chapter 1 Unit A Chemistry - Chapter 2 Unit A Chemistry - Chapter 3 Unit B Physics - Chapter 1 Unit B Physics - Chapter 2 Unit B Physics - Chapter 3 Unit C Biology - Chapter 1 Unit C Biology - Chapter 2 Unit C Biology - Chapter 3 Unit D Climate - Chapter 1 Unit D Climate - Chapter 2 Unit D Climate - Chapter 3

UNIT D: Energy Flow in Global Systems

SCIENCE 10

Program of Studies

Unit D: Energy Flow in Global Systems (Social and Environmental Contexts Emphasis)

Overview: Solar energy sustains life and drives the global climate systems on Earth. Without solar energy there would be no heat or precipitation and, therefore, no life on Earth. Students will gain an understanding that the absorption and transfer of thermal energy at and near Earth’s surface results in a variety of climate zones with characteristic weather patterns and biomes. Climatic factors largely determine the flora and fauna found in each of the world’s major biomes. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that the balance of evidence suggests a human influence on global climate. Scientists from various fields are studying this relationship to determine the potential impact on biomes

Links to Science

The following science concepts are related to the content of Unit D.
  • environmental monitoring, environmental impacts, energy flow, environmental management - Grade 7 Science, Unit A: Interactions and Ecosystems
  • thermal energy, change of state, heat transfer - Grade 7 Science, Unit C: Heat and Temperature
  • climate, glaciers and icecaps - Grade 8 Science, Unit E: Freshwater and Saltwater Systems
  • biological diversity, habitat diversity - Grade 9 Science, Unit A: Biological Diversity
Focusing Questions:
  • Are there relationships between solar energy, global energy transfer processes, climate and biomes?
  • What evidence suggests our climate may be changing more rapidly than living species can adapt?
  • Is human activity causing climate change?
  • How can we reduce our impact on the biosphere and on global climate, while still meeting human needs?

Key Concepts

The following concepts are developed in this unit and may also be addressed in other units at other grade/course levels. The intended level and scope of treatment is defined by the outcomes below.
  • social and environmental contexts for investigating climate change
  • solar radiation budget
  • climate zones, transfer of thermal energy by the hydrosphere and the atmosphere
  • hydrologic cycle and phase change
  • relationship between biomes, solar energy and climate
  • human activity and climate change

Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

Students will:
  1. Describe how the relationships among input solar energy, output terrestrial energy and energy flowwithin the biosphere affect the lives of humans and other species
    • explain how climate affects the lives of people and other species, and explain the need to investigate climate change
      (e.g., describe the responses of human and other species to extreme climatic conditions; describe housing designs, animal habitats, clothing and fur in conditions of extreme heat, cold, dryness or humidity, wind)
    • identify the Sun as the source of all energy on Earth
    • analyze, in general terms, the net radiation budget, using per cent; i.e., solar energy input, terrestrial energy output, net radiant energy
    • describe the major characte ristics of the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere, and explain their relationship to Earth’s biosphere
    • describe and explain the greenhouse effect, and the role of various gases — including methane, carbon dioxide and water vapour — in determining the scope of the greenhouse effect

  2. Analyze the relationships among net solar energy, global energy transfer processes — primarilyradiation, convection and hydrologic cycle — and climate.
    • describe, in general terms, how thermal energy is transferred through the atmosphere (i.e., global wind patterns, jet stream, Coriolis effect, weather systems) and through the hydrosphere(i.e., ocean currents, large bodies of water) from latitudes of net radiation surplus to latitudes of net radiation deficit, resulting in a variety of climatic zones
      (e.g., analyze static and animatedsatellite images)
    • investigate and describe, in general terms, the relationships among solar energy reaching Earth’s surface and time of year, angle of inclination, length of daylight, cloud cover, albedo effect and aerosol or particulate distribution
    • explain how thermal energy transfer through the atmosphere and hydrosphere affects climate
    • investigate and interpret how variations in thermal properties of materials can lead to uneven heating and cooling
    • investigate and explain how evaporation, condensation, freezing and melting transfer thermal energy; i.e., use simple calculations of heat of fusion Hfus = Q/n and vaporization Hvap = Q/n, and Q=mcΔt to convey amounts of thermal energy involved, and link these processes to the hydrologic cycle

  3. Relate climate to the characteristics of the world’s major biomes, and compare biomes in different regions of the world
    • describe a biome as an open system in terms of input and output of energy and matter andexchanges at its boundaries
      (e.g., compare and contrast cells and biomes as open systems)
    • relate the characteristics of two major biomes (i.e., grassland, desert, tundra, taiga, deciduous and rain forest) to net radiant energy, climatic factors (temperature, moisture, sunlight and wind) andtopography (mountain ranges, large bodies of water)
    • analyze the climatographs of two major biomes (i.e., grasslands, desert, tundra, taiga, deciduous and rain forest) and explain why biomes with similar characteristics can exist in differentgeographical locations, latitudes and altitudes
    • identify the potential effects of climate change on environmentally sensitive biomes
      (e.g., impact of a reduction in the Arctic ice pack on local species and on Aboriginal societies that rely on traditional lifestyles)

  4. Investigate and interpret the role of environmental factors on global energy transfer and climatechange
    • investigate and identify human actions affecting biomes that have a potentialto change climate
      (e.g., emission of greenhouse gases, draining of wetlands, forest fires, deforestation)
      and critically examine the evidence that these factors play a role in climate change
      (e.g., global warming, rising sea level(s))
    • identify evidence to investigate past changes in Earth’s climate
      (e.g., ice core samples, tree ring analysis)
    • describe and evaluate the role of science in furthering the understanding of climate and climate change through international programs
      (e.g., World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Watch, Global Atmosphere Watch, Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) project, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); the study of paleoclimates and models of future climate scenarios)
    • describe the role of technology in measuring, modelling and interpreting climate and climate change
      (e.g., computer models, devices to take measurements of greenhouse gases, satellite imaging technology)
    • describe the limitations of scientific knowledge and technology in making predictions related to climate and weather
      (e.g., predicting the direct and indirect impacts on Canada’s agriculture, forestry and oceans of climate change, or from changes in energy transfer systems, such as ocean currents and global wind patterns)
    • assess, from a variety of perspectives, the risks and benefits of human activity, and its impact on the biosphere and the climate
      (e.g., compare the Gaia hypothesis with traditional Aboriginal perspectives on the natural world; identify and analyze various perspectives on reducing the impact of human activity on the global climate)

Skill Outcomes

(focus on scientific inquiry)
Initiating and Planning
Students will:
Ask questions about observed relationships, and plan investigations of questions, ideas, problems and issues
  • identify questions to investigate that arise from practical problems and issues
    (e.g., develop questions related to climate change, such as “How will global warming affect Canada’s northern biomes?”;“How will a species be affected by an increase or decrease in average temperature?”)
  • design an experiment, and identify specific variables
    (e.g., investigate the heating effect of solar energy, using variables, such as temperature, efficiency and materials used)
  • formulate operational definitions of major variables
    (e.g., define heat of fusion or vaporization as the quantity of energy to change the state of one mole of matter at its melting or boiling point in the absence of temperature change)

Performing and Recording
Students will:
Conduct investigations into relationships between and among observable variables, and use a broad range of tools and techniques to gather and record data and information
  • carry out procedures, controlling the major variables and adapting or extending procedures where required
    (e.g., perform an experiment to determine the ability of various materials to absorb or reflect solar energy)
  • use instruments, effectively and accurately, to collect data
    (e.g., use a barometer, rain gauge,thermometer, anemometer)
  • compile and organize data, using appropriate formats and data treatments to facilitate interpretation of the data
    (e.g., organize data to prepare climatographs for comparing biomes)
  • use library and electronic research tools to collect information on a given topic
    (e.g., research sources of greenhouse gases; research protocols to control human sources of greenhouse gases)
  • select and integrate information from various print and electronic sources or from several parts of the same source
    (e.g., collect weather and climate data, both historic and current, from the Internet)

Analyzing and Interpreting
Students will:
Analyze data and apply mathematical and conceptual models to develop and assess possible solutions
  • compile and display, by hand or computer, evidence and information in a variety of formats,including diagrams, flow charts, tables, graphs and scatterplots
    (e.g.,construct climate graphs to compare any two of the following biomes: grassland, desert, tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, rain forest)
  • identify and apply criteria for evaluating evidence and sources of information, including identifying bias
    (e.g., investigate the issue of global climate change)
  • interpret patterns and trends in data, and infer or calculate linear and nonlinear relationships among variables
    (e.g., analyze a graph of mean monthly temperatures for cities that are at similar latitudes but have different climates)
  • identify limitations of data, evidence or measurement
    (e.g., list the limitations of data and evidence of past climate changes, evaluate the validity of interpolations and extrapolations, use significant digits appropriately)
  • state a conclusion based on experimental data, and explain how evidence gathered supports or refutes the initial hypothesis
    (e.g., summarize an analysis of the relationship between human activity and changing biomes)
  • explain how data support or refute a hypothesis or a prediction
    (e.g., provide evidence for or against the hypothesis that human activity is responsible for climate change)
  • propose alternative solutions to a given practical problem, identify the potential strengths and weaknesses of each, and select one as the basis for a plan
    (e.g., design a home for a specific climate; analyze traditional Aboriginal home designs for their suitability in particular climates)

Communication and Teamwork
Students will:
Work as members of a team in addressing problems, and apply the skills and conventions of science in communicating information and ideas and in assessing results
  • represent large and small numbers using appropriate scientific notation
  • select and use appropriate numeric, symbolic, graphical and linguistic modes of representation to communicate ideas, plans and results
    (e.g., use appropriate Système international (SI) units, fundamental and derived units, significant digits)
  • synthesize information from multiple sources or from complex and lengthy texts, and make inferences based on this information
    (e.g., use integrated software effectively and efficiently to produce work that incorporates data, graphics and text)
  • identify multiple perspectives that influence a science-related decision or issue
    (e.g., consult a wide variety of electronic sources that reflect varied viewpoints and economic, social, scientific and other perspectives on global warming and climate change)
  • develop, present and defend a position or course of action, based on findings
    (e.g., a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by the transportation of people and goods)

Attitude Outcomes

Interest in Science
Students will be encouraged to:
Show interest in science-related questions and issues, and confidently pursue personal interests and career possibilities within science-related fields
(e.g., expand their inquiries beyond theclassroom and into their everyday lives; show interest in careers related to climate and the environment)

Mutual Respect
Students will be encouraged to:
Appreciate that scientific understanding evolves from the interaction of ideas involving people with different views and backgrounds
(e.g., appreciate Aboriginal clothing and home designs of the past and present that use locally-available materials to adapt to climate; recognize that science and technology develop in response to global concerns, as well a s to local needs; consider more than one factor or perspective when making decisions on Science, Technology and Society [STS] issues)

Scientific Inquiry
Students will be encouraged to:
Seek and apply evidence when evaluating alternative approaches to investigations, problems and issues
(e.g., view a situation from different perspectives, propose options and compare them when making decisions or taking action; evaluate inferences and conclusions with a critical mind and without bias, being cognizant of the many factors involved in experimentation

Collaboration
Students will be encouraged to:
Work collaboratively in planning and carrying out investigations, as well as in generating and evaluating ideas
(e.g.,choose a variety of strategies, such as active listening, paraphrasing and questioning, in order to understand other points of view; consider a variety of perspectives and seek consensus before making decisions)

Stewardship
Students will be encouraged to:
Demonstrate sensitivity and responsibility in pursuing a balance between the needs of humans and a sustainable environment
(e.g., recognize that human actions today may affect the sustainability of biomes for future generations; identify, without bias, potential conflicts between responding to human wants and needs and protecting the environment)

Safety
Students will be encouraged to:
Show concern for safety in planning, carrying out and reviewing activities
((e.g., demonstrate concern for self and others in planning and carrying out experimental activities involving the heating of materials; select safe methods for collecting evidence and solving problems)

Links to Mathematics

The following mathematics outcomes are related to the content of Unit C but are not considered prerequisites.
  • Concept Mathematics Course, Strand and Specific Outcome
  • Data Collection and Analysis - Grade 9 Mathematics, Statistics and Probability (Data Analysis),Specific Outcomes 1 and 3
  • Rate, Ratio and Proportion - Grade 8 Mathematics, Number, Specific Outcomes 3, 4 and 5
  • Graph Analysis - Grade 8 Mathematics, Statistics and Probability (Data Analysis), Specific Outcome 1; Grade 9 Mathematics, Patterns and Relations (Patterns), Specific Outcome 2; Mathematics10C, Relations and Functions, Specific Outcomes 1 and 4; Mathematics 20-3, Statistics,Specific Outcome 1
  • Solving Equations - Grade 9 Mathematics, Patterns and Relations (Variables and Equations), Specific Outcome 3


Unit Focus Questions

  1. Are there relationships between solar energy, global energy transfer processes, climate and biomes?
  2. How do global systems transfer energy through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere?
  3. What evidence suggests our climate may be changing more rapidly than living species can adapt?
  4. Is human activity causing climate change, and in meeting human needs, how can we reduce our impact on the biosphere and on global climate?

Chapter D3.0 Changes in global energy transger could cause climate change, and impact human life and the biosphere

Key Concepts

In this section, you will learn about the following key concepts:
  • Social and environmental contexts for investigating climate change.
  • Human activity and climate change.

Learning Outcomes

When you have completed this section, you will be able to:
  • Describe and explain the role of various gases - including methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapour - in determing the scope of the greenhouse effect.
  • Investigate and identify human actions affecting biomes that have a potential to change climate and critically examine evidence that these factors play a role in climate change.
  • Identify evidence to investigate past changes in Earth's climate.
  • Describe and evaluate the role of science in furthering the understanding of climate and climate change through international programs.
  • Describe the role of technology in measuring, modelling, and interpreting climate and climate change
  • Describe the limitations of scientific knowledge and technology in making predictions related to climate and weather
  • Identify the potential effects of climate change on environmentally sensitive biomes
  • assess, from a variety of perspectives, the risks and benefits of human activity and its impact on the biosphere and the climate

D3.1 Climate Change - Examining the Evidence

Changes in Greenhouse Gases


Greenhouse Gases and Human Activity

Fossil fuels - fuels that contain large amounts of carbon, that were formed from the remains of living organisms.
Carbon source - any process that releases carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
Carbon sink - any process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Halocarbons - synthetic (man-made) chemicals that can absorb significant abounts of thermal energy.
Enhanced greenhouse effect - the change in Earth's net radiation budget caused by the increase in human-generated greenhouse gases.
Global warming - observed increase in the Earth's average temperature

Evaluating the Evidence of Climate Change



Other Views on Climate Change



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D3.2 International Collaboration on Climate Change

Scientific Collaboration on Climate Change


General circulation model (GCM) - a computer model of the climate that includes all observed climate data.

Economics and the Kyoto Protocol

Montreal Protocol - an international agreement to phase out the production and use of CFCs. It was the first international agreement concerning Earth's atmosphere.
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons HCFC - are chemicals with similar properties to CFCs, but which destroy ozone much more slowly.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) - an agreement by the world's nations to act to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity.
Sustainable development - the use of the world's resources in ways that maintain these resources for future generations with minimal environmental impact.
Kyoto Protocol - an international agreement to reduce the production of greenhouse gases.
Emission-reduction credits (ERCs) - credits given to a country for actions that contibute to the global reducation of greenhouse gas emissions.

Stabilizing Greenhouse Gas Levels


Carbon dioxide sequestering - many processes that trap and remove carbon dioxide from factory or powerplant exhaust and store it out of the atmosphere. Most are still experimental and not used on a large scale.


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D3.3 Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change

Impacts of Climate Change on Alberta


Canada's Action Plan on Climate Change


Balancing Environmental, Social, and Economic Goals




 
Program of Studies
Alberta Science 10
Program of Studies
Contact me:

Steven Montgomery

steven.montgomery@pembinahills.ca

BCHS Barrhead AB
Textbook
Addison Wesley Science 10 Textbook
Textbook cover