Greenhouse gases
I can explain the effect of greenhouse gases on the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases
I can explain the effect of greenhouse gases on the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Carbon dioxide and methane are common greenhouse gasses.
- Greenhouse gases reduce the amount of lower frequency IR that can escape from Earth’s atmosphere.
- Greenhouse gases do not reduce the amount of higher frequency IR radiation entering the atmosphere from the Sun.
- If the rate energy is transferred into the atmosphere exceeds the rate it is transferred out, average temperatures rise.
- An increasing average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere is called global warming.
Keywords
Greenhouse gas - Greenhouse gases are gases that are responsible for the greenhouse effect by absorbing lower frequency IR radiation and trapping ‘heat’ in the atmosphere.
Infrared radiation - Infrared radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that we can feel as heat.
Frequency - Frequency is the number of waves that pass a point per second.
Global warming - Global warming is the increase in Earth's average temperature, likely to be caused by increased amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Common misconception
All greenhouse gases are artificial and harmful. Increasing any greenhouse gas is bad.
Explain the natural occurrence and necessity of greenhouse gases. Discuss the balance needed in greenhouse gas concentrations.
To help you plan your year 11 combined science lesson on: Greenhouse gases, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 combined science lesson on: Greenhouse gases, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 combined science lessons from the Atmosphere and changing climate unit, dive into the full secondary combined science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
CH₄
CO₂
H₂O