How Ancient Ice Proves Climate Change Is Real

Provided by: Be Smart |Published on: April 27, 2021

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Synopsis

This 12-minute video describes and shows how scientists analyze the gases trapped in ancient ice cores in order to learn about Earth's atmosphere in the past.
Students will learn that scientists have concrete evidence, demonstrated by the abundance of specific carbon isotopes in the ice, that global warming is being caused by burning fossil fuels and other human activities.

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Subjects: Physics, Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Be Smart

Region: Polar Regions, Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Prerequisites:

Ensure that students are familiar with the terms atom, isotope, and neutron.

Classroom Implementation

Use this video to introduce students to other uses of stable isotopes and radioactive isotopes, such as tracing molecules through food webs, medical testing, and tracing global cycles in the oceans and atmosphere.

Interdisciplinary Connections:

English Language Arts:
- Students write persuasive essays on how people need to act swiftly in order to stop climate change. Students cite evidence from the video to prove that climate change is really happening.

Related Resources:

Other resources on this topic include this lesson and activity on understanding the importance of isotopes, this activity on analyzing past climate conditions using a tree's rings, and this resource highlighting graduate students that study ice cores.

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How Ancient Ice Proves Climate Change Is Real

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources