Experiment Design: Retention of Heat by Greenhouse Gases

[Modernization]

for my science fair project, i am designing an experiment that tests the potency of the gas carbon dioxide, methane, CFC, and ozone in their retention of heat. I will three use three balloon (the balloons act as the ozone layer) and put in each one of them a pile of heated dirt. Then, i will pump a same amount gas, either CO2 or methane, in each balloon and put them outside in the cold weather for a certain duration. My prediction is that the gas inside each balloon forbid the heat to escape and therefore, allow the dirt to stay hot. I will then measure the temperature of the dirt to see which gas is capable of retaining heat the best. Will this experiment will work? where can i buy pure CFC gas? for CO2, I'm going to use my breath; i hope that the gas you breath out is pure CO2. any advice and comments are welcome. BTW, please don't still this idea Do you think this project is sophisticated enough at the 11th grade level?
THANKS

 

[ray b]

no your breath is mostly N2 with some CO2 and O2
pure CO2 can be bought in small tube/cans used in ''air'' guns or for drink mixs

CFC is a type of gas with many many forms F-12, F-22 and F134, are some common types
F-12 is the main now banned/limited form in O3 distruction
F134 you can get in any auto parts store

O3 can be made [eltric sparks] but is dangerious to breath and ask your school/teachers befor useing/making it and will be hard to make in even semi pure form in any real amounts

 

[chemisttree]

You won't be able to get a balloon full of ozone, I'm afraid. At best you would get a balloon of mostly air with some (ppm level) ozone. The effect of this trace amount of gas would be difficult to measure without sophisticated equipment. CO2 can be made with bicarb and acid.

Are you trying to prove that these gases are greenhouse gases? If so, you would need to show how strongly these gases absorb in the infrared spectrum. What you will be measuring with your setup will be heat capacity. Measuring heat capacity of gases is not trivial, I believe (especially ozone).