PART 1: Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Levels in our Atmosphere over Time LAB11 Figure 1. Figure 1: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration at Mauna Loa, Hawaii 2017-2019.
1. Referring to Figure 1, describe how much the amount of CO2 levels vary over the course of one year.
LAB11 Figure 2. Figure 2: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration at Mauna Loa, Hawaii since 1957.
2. Referring to Figure 2, calculate the total change in CO2 concentrations from 1957 to 2019.
3. What is the Average Annual Change in CO2 concentration? Remember: Total change ÷ Number of years of data collection = Ave. Rate of Change
4. The zig-zag pattern seen in Figure 2 represents seasonal changes in CO2 concentration. This is due to changes during the Northern Hemisphere’s winter season. The northern hemisphere is more densely populated and contains more land mass than the southern hemisphere thus there is a greater effect on CO2 levels. Suggest 2 reasons why CO2 concentration would increase when it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere. (Hint: consider what happens to plants in the winter time and how this would affect CO2 levels in the atmosphere and consider how the behavior of humans changes in the winter time.)
LAB11 Figure 3.
Figure 3: Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration over the past 800,000 years.
5. What are the maximum and minimum CO2 levels before “0” years ago, and what is the natural range (difference between max and min) in CO2? Maximum: [level1] Minimum: level2 Natural Range: [level3]
6. What is the minimum number of years it takes for the natural system to change from high CO2 levels to low CO2 levels? What is the fastest time in which this has occurred naturally?).
7. What is the current CO2 value (refer to Fig. 3, although it is higher now) and how much higher is this than the maximum level of CO2 before the year “0” (approximately 1800). How much higher:__________
8. Considering your answer to # 7, what does this suggest about changes in CO2 over the past 200 years? ( i.e., what could be the cause?)
