{{asɛmtiNe Ɔkyerɛwfo}} | Nhomakorabea | Nneɛma a ɛma wotumi yɛ ade

Akwankyerɛ

Learning Objectives:

Define feedback loops and distinguish between positive (reinforcing) and negative (balancing) loops.
Use box models to represent real-world examples of feedback loops.

If you need help, please click here to watch the class recording.

We are going to be using box models again.

null The box represents a variable, a thing that can change, or an action that is occurring.

The arrow represents a cause or change.

null We can indicate that something is increasing with an "up" arrow inside the box.

null We can indicate that something is decreasing with a "down" arrow inside the box.

Ɛhia

1

null Put the words below in the correct order to represent the meaning of this feedback box model.

Mmuae Afoforo a Wobɛpaw:

eating cookies

happiness

to decrease

to increase

causes

A feedback loop is when things affect each other in a circle. Something (A) changes B, and then B eventually changes A back—sometimes through other steps in between.

A positive (reinforcing) feedback loop makes a change grow. If one part goes up, it causes another part to go up, which then pushes the first part up even more. If one part goes down, the loop makes it go down further. Think of it like a snowball that keeps getting bigger.

A negative (balancing) feedback loop pushes the system back toward where it started. If one part goes up, the loop causes changes that bring it back down; if one part goes down, the loop helps it go back up. Think of it like a thermostat that keeps temperature near a set point.

Ɛhia

1

Read the text on the left, then match the term to its description.

Draggable item		Corresponding Item
Negative (Balancing) Feedback Loop		When things affect each other in a circle
Feedback Loop		If one part goes up, it causes another part to go up (and vice versa)
Positive (Reinforcing) Feedback Loop		If one part goes up, the loop causes changes that bring it back down (and vice versa)

Ɛhia

1

Positive doesn't necessarily mean "good" when it comes to feedback loops.
A positive feedback loop makes changes get bigger. Once something starts going up (or down), the loop pushes it further in the same direction. Often the change is unreversible.
Which of the following box models could represent a positive feedback loop?

null

Ɛhia

1

Negative doesn't necessarily mean "bad" when it comes to feedback loops.
A negative feedback loop keeps things balanced. Once something starts going up (or down), the loop reverses it in the opposite direction. If things go too far in one direction, the loop may flip to correct itself.
Which of the following box models could represent a negative feedback loop?

null

Question 5

00:36

Questions 6 & 7

00:46

Questions 8-11

01:28

Ɛhia

1

Whew! Let's put the whole Daisyworld box model together:

null

Daisyworld is an example of a and the loop is feedback loop because .

Ɛhia

1

There are many feedback loops in the carbon cycle.

Plants use carbon dioxide as part of photosynthesis, which allows them to produce their own energy and grow.

How does plant growth affect the amount of carbon dioxide in the air?

Mmuae Afoforo a Wobɛpaw:

null

Ɛhia

1

Carbon dioxide and plant growth are an example of a and the loop is feedback loop because .

Ɛhia

1

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly.
Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?

Plants can absorb unlimited CO₂, so they will remove the permafrost carbon fast enough.

Permafrost carbon is released much faster than most plant growth can store carbon, and plant uptake is limited by nutrients, water, and space

Plants release carbon when they grow, so planting more makes the problem worse.

Permafrost carbon is harmless, so plants don’t need to absorb it.

Ɛhia

1

Which of the following best restates the learning objectives of this assignment?

Learn definitions of positive and negative feedback loops, and use box models that show how real‑world systems work.

Practice drawing diagrams of feedback loops without explaining how parts influence one another.

Focus only on memorizing specific examples (like permafrost or daisies) instead of learning general rules about feedback and modeling.

Learn to describe human impacts on the environment without using diagrams or identifying feedback types.

1.09 Feedbacks Lab

1.09 Feedbacks Lab

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives:

Read the text on the left, then match the term to its description.

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly.
Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?

Which of the following best restates the learning objectives of this assignment?

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives:

Read the text on the left, then match the term to its description.

Accidentally repeated a question.

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly.
Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?

Which of the following best restates the learning objectives of this assignment?

Accidentally repeated a question.

1.09 Feedbacks Lab

1.09 Feedbacks Lab

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives:

Read the text on the left, then match the term to its description.

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly. Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?

Which of the following best restates the learning objectives of this assignment?

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objectives:

Read the text on the left, then match the term to its description.

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly. Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?

Which of the following best restates the learning objectives of this assignment?

Accidentally repeated a question.

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly.
Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?

In recent years, permafrost thawing has increased and carbon is being released quickly.
Why won't growing more plants solve this problem?