Expanding the Educational Toolset for Chemistry Outreach: Providing a Chemical View of Climate Change through Hands-On Activities and Demonstrations Supplemented with TED-Ed Videos

Abstract

Climate change is a scientifically and chemically complex issue with both global and local impact. Public understanding and awareness of climate change are crucial for building support to address causes and impacts; unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans do not understand the basic science behind climate change. This trend applies even to first-year college students in general chemistry courses. To address this knowledge gap, we have developed a bimodal activity to teach students about the chemistry of climate change. Awareness of the impacts of light–matter interactions, properties that determine albedo and reflectivity, and properties of gases are crucial to understanding climate change. The program described herein shows promise in educating students on these topics. This program utilizes TED-Ed videos, simple demonstrations, and hands-on activities that can be reproduced in a classroom setting to supplement chemistry courses or in public outreach events.