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67. The greenhouse effect – 1

Topic
Environmental chemistry.

Timing
About 30 min.

Level
Any.

Description
The 'greenhouse effect' in the Earth's atmosphere is caused by a number of gases
that behave in a similar way to glass in a greenhouse. In the demonstration, three
thermometers are clamped close to a photoflood bulb and their temperatures
monitored regularly. One is clamped in the air, one is enclosed in a plastic pop
bottle, and one enclosed in a pop bottle one half of which has been painted with
matt black paint. The final steady temperatures obtained are in the order ‘bare’
thermometer (lowest), thermometer in unpainted bottle, thermometer in painted
bottle (highest).

Apparatus
▼ Two 1 dm3 plastic fizzy drinks bottles with two-holed rubber bungs to fit.
▼ Three mercury-in-glass thermometers (0–100 °C).
▼ One 275 W photoflood light bulb (obtainable from photographic shops) with a
plain bulb holder (ie without a shade).
▼ Clock with second hand.
▼ Three pieces of lead foil about 3 cm x 2 cm.
▼ A little matt black paint such as blackboard paint.

Method
Before the demonstration
Check that all three thermometers give the same reading in the same surroundings.
Clean and dry the bottles. Cut three identical pieces of lead foil and fold them round
the bulbs of the thermometers to form ‘flags’ (Fig. 1). These absorb the light energy
and radiate it as heat, simulating the Earth’s surface. Ensure that the thermometers
will still fit through the openings in the bottles when the lead ‘flags’ are fitted. Paint
half of one of the bottles with matt black paint as shown in Fig. 2. Fit two of the
thermometers through the bungs ensuring that it is possible to read their scales from
room temperature upwards. Place the bungs holding the thermometers into the two
pop bottles.

The demonstration
Stand the photoflood bulb in its holder on the bench. Clamp the three thermometers
(two of them inside their bottles) so that they are about 25 cm from the bulb. The
actual distance is not critical, but it is important that all three distances are the same.
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Thermometers

Folded
lead foil

1dm3 plastic
pop bottle
Crimp lead foil
around thermometer
to form a “flag”
Thermometer
with ‘flag’
Fig. 1 Foil flags

Paint this half

of the bottle
matt black

Fig. 2 Bottle half-painted with matt black

Unpainted bottle ‘Bare’ thermometer Bottle with rear

containing thermometer with lead ‘flag’ half painted black
with lead ‘flag’ containing thermometer
with lead ‘flag’
~ 25 cm

Bulb

90° 90°

Note:
The ‘flags’are placed
so as to be perpendicular
to the incident light

90°

Fig. 3 Top view of apparatus

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A previously prepared paper template on which the positions of the apparatus are
marked will help when setting this up in front of a class. The bulbs of the
thermometers should be at the same level as the photoflood bulb and the lead ‘flags’
should be perpendicular to the incident light (Fig. 3). Allow the thermometers to
adjust to room temperature and take a reading of each. Switch on the photoflood
bulb, start the clock and take a reading of each thermometer every minute for about
15 minutes. The temperatures of each will rise and gradually level off to a steady
reading. Typically the ‘bare’ thermometer’s reading will rise by 5 °C, the one in the
clear bottle by 8 °C and the one in the half-blackened bottle by 13 °C.

Teaching tips
Get members of the class to take the readings and enter them on a pre-prepared table
on the blackboard or OHP. The class could prepare suitable graph axes before the
experiment and plot the temperatures against time as they are recorded.

Theory
In a greenhouse, visible light passes through the glass (which is, of course,
transparent to visible light) and is absorbed by dark coloured surfaces inside. These
heat up and re-radiate energy, but at longer wavelengths in the infrared region of the
spectrum. This is absorbed by glass and so the greenhouse warms up. The
‘greenhouse effect’ in the Earth’s atmosphere is caused by a number of gases that
behave in a similar way to glass, ie they are transparent to visible light, but absorb in
the infrared. Some of these are listed in the table. It can be seen that carbon dioxide
is the most important greenhouse gas because of its relatively high concentration in
the atmosphere rather than its intrinsic greenhouse efficiency.

Gas Relative Concentration Relative

greenhouse in the efficiency x
efficiency atmosphere / concentration /
per molecule ppm ppm

Carbon dioxide 1 350 350

Methane 30 1.7 51
Dinitrogen oxide 160 0.31 49.6
Ozone 2 000 0.06 120
CFC 11 (CCl3F) 21 000 0.000 26 5.46
CFC 12 (CCl2F2) 25 000 0.000 24 6

This experiment demonstrates the greenhouse effect caused by the plastic of the
bottle. The teacher can explain that gases have the same effect. It also shows the
effect of a black surface absorbing and re-radiating energy.
The following articles give useful background for the teacher or post-16 students
on the greenhouse effect:
I. Campbell. What on Earth is the greenhouse effect? Chem. Rev., 1991, 1 (2), 2.
I. Campbell. The chemical basis of global warming. Chem. Rev., 1992, 1 (4), 26.

Extensions
Try a thermometer in a glass bottle for comparison with a plastic bottle.
Try sunlight (when available!) instead of the photoflood bulb.
See also demonstration 68.
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Further details
This would be an ideal experiment for computer interfacing if thermocouple
thermometers were used together with suitable interfacing boxes and software. The
graphs could then be plotted on-line on a monitor and hard copies printed for
distribution to the class. The book by Robert Edwards, Interfacing chemistry
experiments. London: RSC, 1993 gives some helpful advice about interfacing.

Safety
Wear eye protection.
The two-holed stoppers are used for the thermometer to prevent pressure build-up
inside the bottles caused by the rise in temperature.
It is the responsibility of teachers doing this demonstration to carry out an
appropriate risk assessment.
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68. The greenhouse effect – 2

Topic
Environmental chemistry.

Timing
About 30 min.

Level
Any.

Description
Two beakers, each containing a disk of lead foil, are placed on the bench below a
photoflood light bulb. The temperature of the air in each is monitored by a
thermometer and eventually becomes steady. Carbon dioxide gas is then led into one
of the beakers via a delivery tube and the temperature of this beaker is seen to rise.

Apparatus
▼ One 275 W photoflood light bulb and a suitable plain bulb holder (ie one with
no shade).
▼ Two identical 250 cm3 beakers.
▼ Two mercury in glass thermometers (0 –100 °C).
▼ Two discs of lead foil cut to fit the bases of the beakers.

Chemicals
▼ A source of carbon dioxide gas – a cylinder, chemical generator (such as
marble chips and dilute hydrochloric acid in a flask with a delivery tube) or a
few chips of dry ice in a flask with a delivery tube.
▼ 1 cm3 of pentane and 1 cm3 of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (optional).

Method
Before the demonstration
Cut two identical discs of lead foil to fit the bases of the beakers. These discs are to
absorb and re-radiate radiant energy and they simulate the Earth’s surface. Place the
beakers side by side on the bench with the lead discs inside and place the photoflood
lamp in its holder about 15 cm above. Both beakers should be illuminated equally
when the bulb is switched on. Clamp a thermometer with its bulb about 2 cm above
the lead disc inside each beaker (see Fig). These thermometers should be chosen so
that they read the same temperature in the same surroundings.
Switch on the light and wait until the thermometers have reached steady readings
(these will be about 45 °C depending on the distance of the bulb). If these are not the
same, move the lamp until they do give identical readings (this is not necessary but
makes the results easier to interpret).

The demonstration
Switch on the lamp and take readings from both thermometers every minute for two
or three minutes to show that they become steady. Now introduce carbon dioxide
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Photoflood bulb

CO2

250 cm3 beaker

Lead
foil disc
Effect of carbon dioxide on tempature

into one of the beakers using a delivery tube connected to the source, but taking care
that the tube does not shade the thermometer from the light. Leave the carbon
dioxide flowing slowly to keep the beaker full of carbon dioxide and make up losses
by diffusion. A flow rate of about 5 cm3 per second, estimated by dipping the delivery
tube in a beaker of water, is suitable, but this is not critical. The temperature recorded
in this beaker will rise and attain a new steady value of about 8 °C above that in the
control beaker (which will not change). Stop the flow of carbon dioxide and the
temperature will drop again as carbon dioxide diffuses out of the beaker. The whole
cycle will take about 15 minutes.

Teaching tips
Get members of the class to take the readings and enter them on a pre-prepared table
on the blackboard or OHP. The class could prepare suitable graph axes before the
experiment and plot the temperatures against time as they are recorded.

Theory
In a greenhouse, visible light passes through the glass (which is, of course,
transparent to visible light) and is absorbed by dark coloured surfaces inside. These
heat up and radiate energy but at longer wavelengths in the infrared region of the
spectrum. This is absorbed by glass and so the greenhouse warms up. The
greenhouse effect in the Earth’s atmosphere is caused by a number of gases that
behave in a similar way to glass, ie they are transparent to visible light but absorb in
the infrared. Some of these are listed in the table. It can be seen that carbon dioxide
is the most important greenhouse gas because of its relatively high concentration in
the atmosphere rather than its intrinsic greenhouse efficiency.
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Gas Relative Concentration Relative

greenhouse in the efficiency x
efficiency atmosphere / concentration /
per molecule ppm ppm

Carbon dioxide 1 350 350

Methane 30 1.7 51
Dinitrogen oxide 160 0.31 49.6
Ozone 2 000 0.06 120
CFC 11 (CCl3F) 21 000 0.000 26 5.46
CFC 12 (CCl2F2) 25 000 0.000 24 6

The following articles give useful background for the teacher or post-16 students
on the greenhouse effect:
I. Campbell. What on Earth is the greenhouse effect? Chem. Rev., 1991, 1 (2), 2.
I. Campbell. The chemical basis of global warming. Chem. Rev., 1992, 1 (4), 26.

Extensions
Other gases can be tried provided that they are denser than air and therefore do not
escape too easily from the beaker. Vapours of volatile liquids can also be used, for
example 1,1,1-trichloroethane and pentane. About 1 cm3 of liquid can be added to
the beaker using a dropping pipette. The temperature will rise by several degrees as
the liquid evaporates and drop again as the vapour diffuses out of the beaker.

Further details
This would be an ideal experiment for computer interfacing if thermocouple
thermometers were used together with suitable interfacing boxes and software. The
graphs could then be plotted on-line on a monitor and hard copies printed for
distribution to the class. The book by Robert Edwards, Interfacing chemistry
experiments. London: RSC, 1993 gives some helpful advice about interfacing.

Safety
Wear eye protection.
It is the responsibility of teachers doing this demonstration to carry out an
appropriate risk assessment.