Matter and Environment
Learning Activity 4. How can we have clean air for everyone?
Name: Natalia Velázquez Garduño ID: A01799885
(Time: 3 sessions of 50 min each)
**This Activity must be done individually, except for the questions which teamwork is indicated.
I. CO2 : Atmospheric and Indoor levels
Session 1.
1. Observe the graph and describe everything
you find interesting about it.
To start, the graph shows the measured
atmospheric CO₂ levels starting in January 2019 and
ending in October 2022.
What I find interesting is that you can see a
seasonal pattern in the CO2 levels, with more
increases in May. In general, over the last few
years, CO2 levels have been increasing.
The variations that exist from year to year are
constant
2. State a probable reason for the CO2
variations through the same year.
A probable reason for the variations in CO2
throughout the year:
I believe that it is because mainly during the spring and summer seasons, plants carry out photosynthesis for
which they must absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, as a consequence of this, it causes atmospheric levels of
CO2 to decrease a little more, and on the other hand, in autumn and winter, many plants die and release more
CO2 into the atmosphere
Read full article in this website: https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/
An adult human exhales about 1 kg of CO2 per day.
3. -In teams- . Calculate how much CO2 will be accumulated in your classroom by the end of the class.
Consider time and number of people inside.
Data:
An adult exhales 1 kg of CO2 per day
25 students and 1 teacher
Total: 26 people
CO2 calculation:
CO2 generated per hour = 1 kg ÷ 24 hours = 0.0416 kg/hour
CO2 per hour = 26 people × 0.0416 kg/hour = 1.082 kg CO2/hour
Total CO2 in 8 hours = 1.082 kg/hour × 8 hours = 8.66 kg of CO2
Author: Yazmín Reyes
Total: 8.66 kg of CO2.
4. -In teams- Measure the volume of your classroom to determine the CO2 concentration in ppm.
(**Hint: ppm = g / m3 and m3 can be calculated as: length in m * width in m * height in m)
Classroom dimensions: 15 m long, 10 m wide and 4 m high.
Volume of the room = 15 m x 10 m x 4 m = 600 m3
CO2 concentration = 8.66 kg / 600 m3 = 0.01443 kg/m3
Concentration in ppm = 0.01443 kg/m3x 1,000,000 = 14.43 ppm
5. Imagine this is a sunny summer day and your classroom is entirely made of glass windows. You left
and the classroom is perfectly sealed. Thus, all CO2 exhaled stays inside. Assume there is no matter
exchange, neither chemical reactions inside.
Use the PhET simulation to predict the CO2 gas properties behavior, throughout the next 24 hours:
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/gas-properties/latest/gas-properties_all.html?locale=en .
Which properties are expected to vary? Which to be steady? Draw the expected behavior in the
graphs below:
a) Expect a rise during the day and a fall at b) Similar pattern to temperature, rising
night. during the day and falling at night.
c) Remains constant throughout. d) Slight fluctuations but generally stable.
Author: Yazmín Reyes
e) Paste a screenshot of what you represented in the simulation, and briefly explain what you observe for
each of the four CO2 gas properties.
Simulation - Screenshot Properties description (n, T, V, and P)
n (Number of particles or moles): In the
screenshot you can see a mixture of CO₂
molecules, some red and others blue. The
number of particles is stable
T (Temperature): The temperature can
be raised and thus the particles begin to
move faster.
V (Volume): The space occupied by the
gas is limited, since the container has
fixed dimensions. So this characteristic
means that any modification in the
properties of the gas directly affects its
pressure and temperature within the
established volume.
P (Pressure): The pressure increases when the
temperature increases and there are constant
and rapid changes in the collisions of the
particles against the walls of the container,
Session 2. CO2 level: Data interpretation
6. Now imagine that CO2 ppm calculated in Question #2, was the first measurement of a NDIR CO2 sensor
at 6:00 am, which corresponds to 100% of the CO2 contained in the classroom. The sensor measures
the CO2 concentration every 2 hours, for the next 24 hours. Although
Table 1. CO2 measurements
the classroom is perfectly sealed, the results show variations regarding
Time CO2 ppm
the initial ppm level. (24hrs) (%)
a) Use the data from Table 1 and the initial CO2 ppm concentration 6:00 100%
calculated in Question #2, to plot the CO2 ppm vs time on an Excel 8:00 99.67%
graph. 10:00 98.50%
12:00 96.56%
14:00 94.52%
16:00 92.80%
18:00 90.44%
20:00 88.29%
22:00 89.26%
0:00 92.70%
2:00 93.45%
4:00 98.39%
6:00 98.93%
Author: Yazmín Reyes
Paste the E
xcel
Graph here
b) Read the “CO2 sensor Summary” from the additional resources in “Canvas > 4.1 Atmospheric
Pollution: greenhouse gases” and learn how a NDIR CO2 sensor works. Then answer the following
questions:
i. Why does the CO2 level “seem” to vary if there is no gas-exchange with the outside? What is
the probability of sensor’s failure?
Sensors can vary in their measurements due to different factors such as changes in
temperature, pressure, humidity, etc. This is because environmental conditions have an
impact on the absorption of infrared light by CO2 molecules, and the probability of the
sensor failing is related to calibration or if it does not have optimal conditions, so it may
exisist a probability that the sensor fails.
ii. Use the graph data to explain Global Warming and Greenhouse effect phenomena.
The greenhouse effect can be explained in the following way: as can be seen in the
graph, there is an increase in CO2 levels, the gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing
an increase in global temperatures. Although the data show a decrease in CO2
concentration, it may be due to photosynthesis, but even so, the trend of increasing CO2
at a global level is worrying.
Global Warming: In the graph, variations in CO2 levels can be observed. Even these small
changes can have significant differences for climate change, since higher concentrations
of CO2 are related to an increase in global temperatures.
Author: Yazmín Reyes
iii. Go to The Climate Time Machine from NASA (https://climatekids.nasa.gov/time-machine/)
and thoroughly observe the different levels of Carbon Dioxide around the World. Use the
gas properties to explain, why not everyone is surrounded by the same gases and pollutants
if the Earth’s atmosphere has a fix volume?
There are several reasons that explain why we are not all surrounded by the same gases
even though we all have the same atmosphere. The main reason is that there are
differences in the emission of gases, as well as climatic patterns such as atmospheric
circulation, winds and ocean currents.
Another thing that also has a lot of influence are natural processes such as
photosynthesis, respiration and the decomposition of living organisms.
Another very important factor is geography, such as mountains, valleys and bodies of
water. These can block or channel the flow of gases.
II. Air Quality Diagnosis of My City.
Session 3.
CO2 gas is only one in the greenhouse gases list, and the same in the list of pollutants that determine air
quality index. In this activity you will investigate about the major pollutants in your city and the sources that
contribute the most to their levels. This, to propose possible solutions to air pollution.
*Suggested sources: “Canvas > 4.1 Atmospheric Pollution: greenhouse gases > Additional Resources”.
1. Join in teams of 4-5 people.
2. Your teacher will provide either a digital or physical map of your city and a question from the list below
will be assigned, you must investigate about it to add such information in the map:
a. Air pollutants: How was the air quality index in your city for the last month? Which were the
main pollutants? Which are the main polluting sources in your city?
b. Transportation: How many private cars are driven in your city? Which types of public
transportation are available? Do they work through the whole city or just in some areas? If so,
which are the public transport-lacking zones?
c. Industry: Which type of industrial activities are the main ones in your city? How many factories
are there? What is their contribution to air pollution in your city?
d. Parks: How many local parks are there? How many habitants per park? How many trees per
person are there? How accessible are these parks for all citizens?
3. Once all teams share their research information. Analyze in teams, the current situation of your city
and make a list of 3-5 possible solutions to have clear air for everyone. Write them here:
1. One solution could be to implement more use of public transport to reduce CO2 emissions and
not to use our car when it is not necessary.
2. Implement more educational programs on pollution and how to reduce it in both public and
private schools
Author: Yazmín Reyes
3. As a community, we should create more green areas to reduce CO2 emissions and allow us to
have more places for recreation and leisure without the need to decontaminate.
4. Write a personal commitment to contribute with the solutions above. If necessary, adequate the
solution to a reachable personal goal.
I, Natalia Velázquez, am committed to contributing to doing something that allows us to improve
the air quality in my community, adjusting to things that may be within my reach. For this, I am
committed to reduce the use of private transportation and instead walking, using a bicycle or asking
a friend to take me if we are going to the same place whenever possible. I am also committed to
participating in volunteer work with the Tec that is dedicated to reforestation. And finally, I am also
committed to not making excessive purchases and to moderate what I buy and to think about
whether it is really necessary and if I need it.
Author: Yazmín Reyes
