Unrestricted Use
CC BY
In this activity, learners use the STELLA box modeling software to determine Earth's temperature based on incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation. Starting with a simple black body model, the exercise gradually adds complexity by incorporating albedo, then a 1-layer atmosphere, then a 2-layer atmosphere, and finally a complex atmosphere with latent and sensible heat fluxes. With each step, students compare the modeled surface temperature to Earth's actual surface temperature, thereby providing a check on how well each increasingly complex model captures the physics of the actual system.
- Subject:
- Physical Science
- Material Type:
- Activity/Lab
- Provider:
- CLEAN: Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network
- Provider Set:
- CLEAN: Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network
- Author:
- Kirsten Menking
- Kirsten Menking, On the Cutting Edge/SERC
- Vassar College
- Date Added:
- 01/22/2018