CTS Guide: Human Impact on Earth Systems, pp 210-211- Section IV Research Summaries

Greenhouse Effect

• Students of all ages may confuse the ozone layer with the greenhouse effect and may have a tendency to imagine that all environmentally friendly actions help to solve all environmental problems (e.g., that the use of unleaded gas reduces the risk of global warming). They also have difficulty linking relevant elements of knowledge when explaining the greenhouse effect and may confuse the natural greenhouse effect with the enhancements of that effect (AAAS 2009).

Pollution

• Students may identify the transfer of energy to the environment with pollution or waste materials being thrown into the environment (AAAS 2009)