Explain your understanding of the relationship between combusting fossil fuels, the greenhouse effect and climate change in a manner that would be appropriate for teaching a middle school student.
People use energy for heating, transportation, lighting up a room or anywhere it is dark and you can’t see, for manufacturing, communication, and to grow and harvest food. The most common way we produce that energy is by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Fossil fuels are used globally for energy. Burning these fossil fuels gives off energy but it also releases waste gases. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which means that it traps heat instead of releasing it into outer space. It requires a lot more energy to use coal, oil and natural gases, because we are using heavier machinery. Using heavy machinery means that we are releasing so much more CO2 into our atmosphere. What is the role of scientists and engineers in society? In what ways is life as we know it better (or worse) because of their work either in basic scientific research or the development of implementable technologies? Scientists and engineers are our way of making sure that we are being smart about burning fossil fuels for energy. We rely on scientist because they give us evidence. They are always looking for evidence to test their ideas, even if the test is very difficult. They don’t just tell us the truth, they can answer anything there is to know about life, death, and the universe. Engineers are the ones who develop the things that you use in your everyday life. From the alarm clock that wakes you up in the morning to the car that gets you from point A to point B. Without engineers, we wouldn’t be able to wake up on time unless we make a habit of waking up early. We wouldn’t have cars to get us places, computers to communicate, or even toothbrushes to keep our teeth clean and fresh. “A scientist can discover a new star, but cannot make one. He would have to ask an engineer to do it for him.” -Gordon L. Glegg |