Gumdrop Ozone Depletion Model: Battling for Oxygen
Using gumdrops and toothpicks, students conduct a large-group, interactive ozone depletion model. Students explore the dynamic and competing upper atmospheric roles of the protective ozone layer, the sun's UV radiation and harmful human-made CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).
Sunscreen is applied to protect against harmful UV radiationCopyright CDC http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/images/mother_child_sun_protection.jpg
Many engineers invent new technologies and/or re-designed old technologies to entirely avoid producing harmful CFCs, which deplete the Earth's protective ozone layer. These changes to design, manufacturing processes, regulations and practices have reduced the US CFC emissions dramatically. Some changes included new types of refrigerator coolants and the elimination of many aerosol spray propellants. The modern engineer always keeps long-term sustainability in mind as a design objective.
Figure 1. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) concentrations in U.S. and Europe. Red indicates highest concentrations.Copyright Joseph Spahr, UCLA, Insights Magazine, at: http://ct.gsfc.nasa.gov/insights/vol17/chemistry.html
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Understand and explain the different processes that destroy ozone in the Earth's atmosphere.
- Create an interactive model of ozone destruction.
- Compare a model of ozone with what it represents.
- Develop an understanding of the global trend towards ozone depletion and recovery.
- Collect data and create a graph of global ozone amounts over the last 50 years.