Module six focuses on the heating of Earth’s atmosphere. Utilizing the Mauna Loa
Observatory’s website, along with numerous other resources, students were able to answer a group of questions. These questions asked about the current carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere along with if it is the highest recorded in the past 450,000 years. Also, this module asks what sources humans are directly responsible for adding to the CO2 concentration and what has been filtering it out of the atmosphere. Finally, students are to discuss global deforestation and the human influence on global warming.
Questions and Answers The U.S. Department of Energy in conjunction with Earth Networks, a company that monitors accurate atmospheric gas levels, funds the Mauna Loa Observatory in the state of Hawaii. This observatory has been tasked with monitoring and publishing the CO2 content of the atmosphere since 1958 and measures it to this day. According to the Mauna Loa Observatory, the current CO2 concentration (as of Oct 8, 2014) is 395.25 parts per million (ppm) (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 2014). Although this is a very …show more content…
Currently, the record for the highest CO2 concentration is around 402 ppm; this measurement was taking in the early part of June 2014. It was noticed that by using oil, coal, and natural gas, humans are adding more CO2 into the atmosphere than has been added in measurable past. However, it is also noted that the Earth’s oceans and forests are providing a valuable resource by absorbing the CO2. Unfortunately, deforestation is crippling the ability for the world’s vegetation to continue absorbing these gas emissions. This leads to the ultimate conclusion that humans are contributing to increased global