Maya Israni
AP Environmental Science
The Effect of Temperature on Carbon Dioxide Levels
Background
Global warming is arguably the most daunting problem society faces today.
Research has shown that increased carbon dioxide levels is increasing the temperature of
Earth (Hansen, 2010). However, perhaps, the relationship is reversed; what if it is the increased temperature of Earth that is catalyzing the higher carbon dioxide levels? What if, in turn, the higher carbon dioxide level is increasing the temperature? Perhaps the Earth is trapped in a positive feedback loop, where the higher temperatures lead to higher carbon dioxide levels, which then raise the temperature.
This experiment explores this concept of temperature’s effect on carbon
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The Earth’s greenhouse effect dictates that “the planet's temperature ultimately depends on the atmospheric level of carbon dioxide.” In effect, studies have found that the carbon dioxide level serves as a “thermostat” for Earth as it determines the temperature of the planet (Hansen, 2010). However, the close relationship between temperature and carbon dioxide levels over the last 800,000 years may also assert that temperature affects carbon dioxide, not only the other way around (Anderson, 2010). The underlying concept behind this experiment is that colder liquids hold more dissolved gases, and therefore carbon dioxide, than warmer liquids (Anderson, 2010). This experiment applies this concept using carbonated soda of various temperatures and their respective carbon dioxide levels.
Purpose
The purpose of this lab was to determine the effect of temperature on carbon dioxide levels in terms of carbon emissions from soda cans. Thus, the independent variable is the temperature of the soda, and the dependent variable measured is the carbon dioxide level as the soda can is opened.
Hypothesis
The relationship between the temperature of the soda and the amount of