Global Atmospheric Nitrous Oxide Concentration

• This interactive chart allows students to explore the global atmospheric concentration of nitrous oxide (N₂O) over time.
  
• The chart can be customized to show a specific date range (starting in 1750) and can be downloaded.
  

Positives

• Students can click the "play" arrow below the chart or table to see how the data has changed over time.
• The resource uses data published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) from the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE).
  

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should know how to read a line graph.
  

Differentiation

• This resource could be useful in a discussion about sustainability, the ozone layer, and the impacts of industrial farming.
  
• Cross-curricular connections could be made with math classes when working with data and graphs.
  
• Other resources related to this topic include this graph and table on nitrous oxide emissions by sector and this map of nitrous oxide emissions
  
• Students could research the following questions:
  • How potent is nitrous oxide as a greenhouse gas?
    
  • How much nitrous oxide is released from fertilizer and livestock waste lagoons?
    
  • How does fertilizer use contribute to eutrophication and dead zones?
    
  • How potent is nitrous oxide as an ozone-damaging gas?
    

This resource depicts time series data on the average atmospheric concentration of N₂O. Datasets acquired from EEA are accurate and the resource is recommended for teaching.