Global dimming

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

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/global-dimming

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 the scientific classification?Atmospheric phenomenon caused by particulate matter, primarily sulfate aerosols
2. What is the hydrological impact?Reduced evaporation and potentially altered precipitation patterns, affecting monsoons and rain belts
3. Why did global dimming happen between the 1950s and 1980s?During that time, factories and power plants released a lot of sulfur into the air. The tiny sulfate particles from these emissions made the sky dimmer.
4. How does global dimming affect the Earth's temperature?The particles reflect sunlight back into space, cooling the air. This cooling hides some of the warming that is happening from other causes.

Solar irradiance: The amount of solar energy received per unit area, measured at the top of the atmosphere or at the Earth's surface.
Anthropogenic aerosols: Tiny particles in the atmosphere produced by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels.
Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI): A proposed geoengineering technique to cool the planet by releasing aerosols into the stratosphere.