Gogo Greenhouse Effect

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WHAT IS IT?

This model is designed to demonstrate the heat trapping capability of carbon dioxide as compared to standard air. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere more effectively than standard air (mostly nitrogen and oxygen). This model demonstrates that phenomenon by applying equal heating to two different gas mixtures - air and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide, when heated, will rise in temperature more rapidly than the air, and will retain its higher temperature more effectively than air. This is shown in the plot to the left.

With higher temperature, gas molecules move more rapidly, due to the higher energy in the system. The model window to the right shows the increase in energy of each flask's system through increased speed of molecule movement. The molecules in the left box reflect the molecules in the air flask; the molecules in the right box reflect the molecules in the carbon dioxide flask.

This model was inspired in part by the GasLab series of models designed by Dr. Uri Wilensky.

HOW IT WORKS

The model creates two breeds of turtles, airs and carbons, which populate two separate spaces in the model window. Airs are seen in warm-colored shades; carbons are seen in cool-colored shades. Each breed obeys rules determined by temperature feedback from a sensor. As temperature rises, the breeds move around their windows at faster rates, modeling the way that molecules move faster when they are warmer.

HOW TO USE IT

You will need:

2 Erlenmeyer flasks
2 stoppers with holes in them
something to seal the stopper holes - gum, wax
1 heat lamp with stand
1 Gogo Board
2 Thermistors for Gogo Board
Baking Soda
Vinegar

To use the model, arrange two Erlenmeyer flasks with stoppers under a heat lamp (make sure that the lamp will be able to heat them equally). Attach two thermistors to the Gogo Board's sensor inputs 1 and 2. Insert the first (sensor 1) thermistor into the stopper of the leftmost Erlenmeyer flask and seal. Insert the second (sensor 2) thermistor into the stopper of the rightmost Erlenmeyer flask. Do not seal yet.

To fill the rightmost Erlenmeyer flask with carbon dioxide, you will react baking soda and vinegar to create carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide will remain in your flask because it is denser than standard air. Pour enough baking soda in your Erlenmeyer flask to cover the majority of its bottom surface. Add enough vinegar to cover all baking soda thoroughly (about twice as much) and swirl around until reaction (evidenced by bubbling) is complete. Seal this flask.

Start model by clicking the "setup" button, followed by the "go" button, and turn on the heat lamp.

THINGS TO NOTICE

Once the heat lamp is turned on, note the relation of the temperatures in each bottle, plotted on the left. Compare that to the speed of the molecules in each window. Do you see a relationship?

THINGS TO TRY

Turn the heat lamp on and observe the effects for several minutes. Then, turn off the heat lamp. What do you notice about the temperatures in the two bottles? Are the dropping? If so, are they dropping at the same rates? What can you infer from this?

EXTENDING THE MODEL

Different gases - the model can be expanded or altered by using different "atmospheres" in the Erlenmeyer flasks. Try it with different percentages of carbon dioxide (use more and less baking soda), etc.

Collision - allowing the molecules to bounce off of each other as well as the walls would improve the model's accuracy.

Better readouts and plotting - the sensors could be calibrated to Fahrenheit or Celsius scales, and the plot function could be made to scale the data better.

CREDITS AND REFERENCES

Wilensky, U. (1997). NetLogo GasLab Gas in a Box model. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/GasLabGasinaBox. Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Wilensky, U. (1997). NetLogo GasLab Single Collision model. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/GasLabSingleCollision. Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Wilensky, U. (1999). NetLogo. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/. Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Comments and Questions

Karen Tekverk

Collaboration with Pete and Karen

Pete Phelan and I collaborated on this model, and are continuing to collaborate! The Greenhouse Effect is pretty complicated, so this is still a work in progress. Stay tuned for more cool updates!

Posted over 13 years ago

Click to Run Model

extensions [gogo]

breed [carbons carbon]
breed [airs air]

to setup
  gogo:open "/dev/tty.usbmodemfa141"
  clear-all
  set-default-shape turtles "circle"
  draw-walls
  ask patch -5 0
  [sprout-airs 20 [set color one-of [15 16 17 25 26 27 35 36 37]]]                  ;; create some turtles
  ask patch 5 0
  [sprout-carbons 20 [set color  one-of [55 56 57 65 66 67 75 76 77]]]                   ;; create some turtles
  reset-ticks
end 

; draws the boundaries (walls) of the "billiard table"

to draw-walls
  ; draw left and right walls
  ask patches with [abs pxcor = max-pxcor]
    [ set pcolor blue ]
  ; draw top and bottom walls
  ask patches with [abs pycor = max-pycor]
    [ set pcolor blue ]
  ask patches with [pxcor = 0]
    [ set pcolor blue]
end 

to go
  ifelse (gogo:sensor 1 > 0) and (gogo:sensor 1 < 400)  ;;hot
  [ask airs [fd 1.0 bounce]]
     [ifelse (gogo:sensor 1 > 400) and (gogo:sensor 1 < 450)  ;;warm
     [ask airs [fd 0.8 
     bounce]]
        [ifelse (gogo:sensor 1 > 450) and (gogo:sensor 1 < 500)  ;;warm
        [ask airs [fd 0.6 
        bounce]]
           [ifelse (gogo:sensor 1 > 500) and (gogo:sensor 1 < 550)  ;;room temp
           [ask airs [fd 0.4 
           bounce]]
              [ifelse (gogo:sensor 1 > 550) and (gogo:sensor 1 < 600)  ;;room temp
              [ask airs [fd 0.2 
              bounce]]
                 [ask airs [fd 0.1 
                 bounce]]]]]]
  ifelse (gogo:sensor 2 > 0) and (gogo:sensor 2 < 400)  ;;hot
  [ask carbons [fd 1.0 bounce]]
     [ifelse (gogo:sensor 2 > 400) and (gogo:sensor 2 < 450)  ;;warm
     [ask carbons [fd 0.8 
     bounce]]
        [ifelse (gogo:sensor 2 > 450) and (gogo:sensor 2 < 500)  ;;warm
        [ask carbons [fd 0.6 
        bounce]]
           [ifelse (gogo:sensor 2 > 500) and (gogo:sensor 2 < 550)  ;;room temp
           [ask carbons [fd 0.4 
           bounce]]
              [ifelse (gogo:sensor 2 > 550) and (gogo:sensor 2 < 600)  ;;room temp
              [ask carbons [fd 0.2 
              bounce]]
                 [ask carbons [fd 0.1 
                 bounce]]]]]]
  tick
end 

to heatmove 
  ;;ask carbons [fd gogo:sensor 1]
  ask carbons [fd 1]
  ;;ask airs [fd gogo:sensor 2]
end 

;; this procedure checks the coordinates and makes the turtles
;; reflect according to the law that the angle of reflection is
;; equal to the angle of incidence

to bounce  ;; turtle procedure
  ; check: hitting left or right wall?
  ;if abs [pxcor] of patch-ahead 0.1 = max-pxcor
    ; if so, reflect heading around x axis
    ;[ set heading (- heading) ]
  ; check: hitting top or bottom wall?
  if abs [pycor] of patch-ahead 0.1 = max-pycor
    ; if so, reflect heading around y axis
    [ set heading (180 - heading) ]
  ; check: hitting middle? 
  ;if [pxcor] of patch-ahead 0.1 = 0
  if [pcolor] of patch-ahead 0.1 = blue
    [ set heading (- heading) ]
end 


; Public Domain:
; To the extent possible under law, Uri Wilensky has waived all
; copyright and related or neighboring rights to this model.

There are 2 versions of this model.

		Uploaded by	When	Description	Download
		Karen Tekverk	over 13 years ago	Better Info Tab	Download this version
		Karen Tekverk	over 13 years ago	Initial upload	Download this version

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