The upcoming CU Wizards show will be on December 3rd from 9:30-10:30 am in Cristol Chemistry, Rm. 140: "The Chemistry of the Atmosphere" by Professor Steven Brown
Why is the Sky Blue? Why are sunsets orange? Professor Brown’s show brings “What’s up with air?” down to Earth, highlighting unique properties air's main ingredients: nitrogen, oxygen, argon and water. The show also demonstrates important chemistry that takes place in our atmosphere when stealthy, one-in-a-billion types of chemicals are added to the mix. Understanding the chemistry of these less abundant atmospheric compounds is essential to our understanding of the Earth's atmophere. A thin, vulnerable layer of ozone high in the atmosphere protects us from harmful UV rays of sunlight. Tiny invisible particles suspended in air can change the color of the sky, but also be harmful to our health. Small amounts of greenhouse gases are slowly but steadily warming the Earth. This show demonstrates fascinating physical chemistry and introduces students K-12 to the fascinating story of the Earth’s amazing atmosphere!