Greenhouse Effect Video - Scott Denning

Notes from our reviewers

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• Teaching Tips
  Educator could embed this video in a lesson on the greenhouse effect and climate change. Educator may want to provide some of the definitions to key words along with the video. Working in small groups and class discussions will help students with different learning styles. This video could be very useful for professional development for teachers prior to teaching the greenhouse effect. This is especially true for middle school teachers or high school teachers who are not fluent in climate science. The method of explanations offered here are very easy to relate to.
• About the Science
  Scientist Denning describes the transformation of short-wave to long-wave radiation as the sun's energy strikes Earth; absorption and reflection of long-wave radiation when it interacts with different types of gaseous molecules in Earth's atmosphere; molecular structure and vibrational modes of greenhouse gases (CO2, H2O, and CH4) versus non-greenhouse gases (O2 and N2). One caution: Dr. Denning compares atmospheric CO2 to "a bunch of little heat lamps." Educator should clarify that the heat energy does not originate from the CO2, but from sunlight absorbed by Earth and reflected back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
• About the Pedagogy
  Video does a great job of breaking down the greenhouse effect into the principle physical components that drive it. Video could be used as an introduction to a larger unit on climate change. There are links below the video that describe more about the greenhouse effect including GHG vibrational modes.
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  Video is embedded in the website but can be downloaded. In full-screen mode, the video is somewhat grainy. Video is also in the Windows to the Universe collection and on YouTube.