ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENON AND AIR TEMPERATURE            by Denise Peterson

WHY DOES LIQUID OR SOLID WATER FALL FROM CLOUDS?

INQUIRY BASED SCIENCE:  PRECIPITATION                                        GRADES:  6-12

OBJECTIVE:  Students research / investigate concepts involved in the process of precipitation
utilizing cooperative learning groups.

EXTENSION:  Students relate the process of precipitation to global warming.

INVESTIGATIVE CONCEPTS:  Cloud Formation / Cloud Classification
Precipitation Processes:  Terminal Velocity, Collision-Coalescence, Bergeron-Findeisen, Forms of
Precipitation, Precipitation Measurement, Weather Radar, Thunderstorms / Hazards, Tornadoes,
Hurricane / Hazards
Greenhouse Gases:  Water Vapor, CO₂, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons, Ozone

BACKGROUND:  Atmospheric circulation or air in motion (wind) helps to bring air to saturation, which starts cloud formation.  Most clouds do not yield precipitation:  drizzle, rain, freezing rain, ice pellets, or hail.  There are certain circumstances and appropriate compositions of clouds that allow precipitation to develop.  Meteorologists use special tools to research and monitor precipitation, and provide the public with severe storm watches and warnings.

GLOBAL WARMING:  Winds are caused by the temporal variations in air temperature and air pressure.  Many leading scientists have been researching (field data and computer models) variations in atmospheric phenomenon, especially those related to natural and anthropogenic (human) factors.  Volcanic dust and industrial emissions of CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons could cause an enhanced greenhouse effect, in turn increasing global warming.

INQUIRY SCIENCE:
When students are doing inquiry based science, an observer will see that:
Children view themselves as scientists in the process of learning.
Children plan and carry out investigations.
Children communicate using a variety of methods.
Children propose explanations and solutions, and build a store of concepts.
Children raise questions.
Children use observation.
Children critique their science practices.
                                       (Adapted from the Vermont Elementary Science Project, 1997)
REFERENCES:
    DataStreme Project, American Meteorological Society, 45 Beacon Street, Boston, MA,
1996, http://storm.atms.ppurdue.edu/~dstreme/index.text.html
    Hands-On Meteorology:  Stories, Theories, and Simple Experiments, Zbigniew Sorbjan,
American Meteorology Society, Boston, MA, 1996, pp. 90, 262.

LINKS:
Frequently Asked Questions on The Greenhouse Effect
http://pw2.netcom.com/~kmgenius/greenhousefaq.html
Global Warming Project
http://www.covis.nwu.edu/Geosciences/projects/GLOBAL_WARMING/overview.html
Environmental Protection Agency and Global Warming
http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/home.htm
 

Woodrow Wilson Leadership Program in Environmental Science lpt@www.woodrow.org
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation webmaster@woodrow.org
CN 5281, Princeton NJ 08543-5281 Tel:(609)452-7007 Fax:(609)452-0066