CO2M (Sentinel-7)

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/co2m-sentinel-7

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is CO2M (Sentinel-7) known for?Refinement of emission inventories and climate models
2. What is the mission type?Dedicated greenhouse gas monitoring satellite
3. What is the primary instruments?Infrared spectrometers for CO2 and CH4 measurement
4. Why does CO2M use infrared spectroscopy?Infrared spectroscopy lets the satellite see the unique “fingerprints” of gases like CO2 and methane, so it can tell how much of each gas is in the air.
5. Where does CO2M travel in space?CO2M flies in a sun‑synchronous polar orbit, which means it passes over the same places at the same time of day, giving it consistent lighting for accurate measurements.

Anthropogenic Emissions: Pollution and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere by human activities.
Carbon Cycle: The natural process by which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.
Sun-Synchronous Orbit: An orbit where the satellite passes over any given point on Earth at the same local solar time.