Investigating Global Warming and Climate Change

A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach

What should we bring?

Have we forgotten something?

The Sunscreen!

Without the Sun’s energy life on Earth would disappear, including us! We know this is true, BUT too much SOLAR ENERGY is not a good thing.

• Ultra Violet (UV) light - component of sunlight (solar energy)
• Measured on the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum.
• Wavelength shorter than visible light, longer than X-rays
• Humans can’t see UV light - bees, some birds and reptiles can
• UV light causes sun burn
• Prolonged exposure – leads to skin cancer 

These beads change color when exposed to

SOLAR ENERGY in the form of UV light

Let’s do an experiment!

1. Your teacher will give each team solar beads.
2. Mark both cups with your team’s number. Label one cup sunscreen and one cup uncoated.
3. Two team members will coat one half of the beads with sunscreen and place them in the cup marked sunscreen.
4. Two team members will place the remaining uncoated beads in the cup marked uncoated.
5. Your teacher will place all the cups outside so they will be exposed to SOLAR ENERGY.
6. Your teacher will bring in the cups after 15 - 20 minutes.

The Experiment

What are your results?

1. The beads changing colors are like us when we don’t wear sunscreen - our skin burns and changes color.

2. The coated beads are not changing color because they’re wearing sunscreen.

This experiment shows how SOLAR ENERGY affects us. Now let’s learn about how SOLAR ENERGY affects the whole Earth.

Do you think too much solar energy can affect planet Earth?

• Solar energy (or radiation) is generated by the sun. It is absorbed by the Earth's land surface, oceans and atmosphere.

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• The earth’s atmosphere surrounds our planet, holds the air we breathe, and warms our planet.

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• If our planet’s atmosphere holds too much solar energy the Earth’s lands and oceans will get warmer.