Current Events

  • Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather
    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong corr...Read more

    x

    Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather

    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period. Data analyzed in this study cover the period from 431 to 1649, during which time up to 48 volcanic eruptions are identified in Greenland ice core records through deposition of volcanic sulfate in annual layers of ice. You can find the study (open access), published on 6 June 2013 in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/2/024035/article. Find out more about how volcanoes can influence climate.
  • EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US
    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, acco...Read more

    x

    EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US

    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, according to the National Weather Service in Norman Oklahoma. The tornado, which remained on the ground for 40 minutes and reached 2.6 miles across (4.2 km), took the lives of 18 people including storm chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young. For more information on the tornado, visit http://ow.ly/i/2hfDG.
  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

    x

    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.


Reading Graphs with a Logarithmic Scale

Summary:
Students will be able to read and interpret graphs with a logarithmic scale. Materials:

Students will need:

  • Background Information
  • Student worksheet

Worksheets:

Purchase PDF/PPT versions
Source:
Developed by Gayl Bintner with support from NCAR's High Altitude Observatory and the staff of UCAR's Education & Outreach Program.
Grade level:
 7-12
Time:
40 minutes
Student Learning Outcomes:
  • Students will be able to interpret graphs containing a logarithmic scale.
  • Students will be able to analyze how concentration of atomic oxygen in the thermosphere changes with altitude.
Lesson format:
Graph Interpretation, Reading and Writing

National Standards Addressed:

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Have students read the introduction to logarithmic scales on the student worksheet.
  2. Have students complete the student worksheet concerning logarithmic scales and the concentration of atomic oxygen in the Earth's thermosphere.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Related websites with more background concerning logarithmic scales can be found at:

www.answers.com/topic/logarithmic-scale-2
This site gives an explanation of the logarithmic scale and numerous examples that students can encounter, such as the Richter scale, acoustics and photographic exposures.

mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/55520.html
This site gives technical and mathematical explanations of logarithmic scales and their practical uses within biological and environmental sciences.

RELATED SECTIONS OF THE WINDOWS TO THE UNIVERSE WEBSITE:

Other activities related to graphing and Earth's atmosphere:

Last modified May 20, 2005 by Randy Russell.

Windows to the Universe Community

News

Opportunities

Upcoming W2U Events
Join Today - Benefits,
No Ads!
Special Offers for Teachers
Member Benefits
Teacher Newsletter
Partnership Opportunities

Shop Windows to the Universe

Our Glaciers: Then and Now activity kit helps you see the changes taking place in glaciers around the world. See all our activity kits and classroom activities.

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation and NASA, our Founding Partners (the American Geophysical Union and American Geosciences Institute) as well as through Institutional, Contributing, and Affiliate Partners, individual memberships and generous donors. Thank you for your support! NASA AGU AGI NSF