Questions tagged [co2]

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14 votes
5 answers
3k views

Why do greenhouse gases affect ocean temperature so much?

As I understand it, greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation from the sun. Much of that radiation would otherwise continue and be absorbed on the planet surface in the ocean or on land. If CO2 ...
WolfRevokCats's user avatar
24 votes
3 answers
33k views

Why is there a seasonal cycle to the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere?

I'm doing some homework on the increase of $\mathrm{CO}_2$ in the atmosphere. On one of the graphs it shows the amount of $\mathrm{CO}_2$ peaks in May and has a low in November. Why is this? Shouldn't ...
Shannon Torstonson's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
619 views

Has the present rise of CO2 ppm been proved to be caused by human activity?

The level of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen roughly from 300 to 400ppm over the last 60 years. What are the reliable calculations showing that such a rise has been caused by human activity? I am ...
Greendrake's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

The effect of CO2 concentration on the pH of the ocean

I'm confused about how increased $\ce{CO2}$ concentration in the atmosphere affects the pH of the ocean. The increase in $\ce{CO2}$ concentration means the pH of the ocean will decrease (by several ...
user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
242 views

Can we run out of air because of global warming?

Can it be that our air will be unbreathable in a few years due to CO2 emission? I think I may suffer from global warming anxiety and I accuse CO2 for my shortness of breath. Is it rational?
FreeZe's user avatar
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15 votes
2 answers
19k views

CO2 emissions per calorie (food)

I have seen several lists with CO2 emissions by weight for producing several different food products. I think this is an interesting consideration, and possible argument for vegetarianism/veganism. I ...
Toke Faurby's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

Does natural plant decomposition release more greenhouse gases than burning

I understand that all plant matter releases CO2 as it decomposes and also when it burns in, for example, a forest fire. My assumption, upon which this question is based, is that the CO2 release is the ...
Puffin's user avatar
  • 283
10 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is volume of air increasing as CO2 levels increase?

CO2 levels are increasing, they have crossed 400 ppm, which means that of every million gas molecules in the air, 400 are of CO2. It has been increasing. Does that mean the total volume of air in the ...
Ram Keswani's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
746 views

How large can local surface CO2 concentration vary due to natural processes?

I'd like to have a rough idea of how large local surface CO2 concentration vary due to natural processes. For example, a purely hypothetical experiment: If I set up some CO2 monitors in a wide ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 7,074
8 votes
1 answer
225 views

What is the residue after plant matter is completely decomposed?

What typical fraction of decomposing plant matter, left on the surface rather than buried, is not released in gaseous form? My simple world view is that the plant structure has all come from the air, ...
Puffin's user avatar
  • 283
5 votes
2 answers
484 views

How to explain the remarkable regularity of the increased concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide?

The Keeling curve is very well approximated with an exponential function with an offset $256$ [ppm] $$256+A\cdot e^{\alpha\cdot t}$$ where $A=1.095\cdot10^{-12}$ and $\alpha=0.0161$ ($t$ is in years ...
Lehs's user avatar
  • 381
5 votes
1 answer
14k views

What is the CO2 concentration by altitude and why?

Here is a measurement of CO2 concentration by altitude measured by aircraft:(from Pulsed airborne lidar measurements of atmospheric CO2 column absorption) Is this the usual vertical structure of CO2? ...
Gorgulak's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
75 views

Can $\ce{CaCO3}$ shells contribute to $\ce{CO2}$ emissions in volcanoes within subduction zones?

CaCO3 dissolves below the Carbonate Compensation Depth (CCD). However, this paper suggests that some CaCO3 can exist below the CCD. My question arises from a discussion in this answer. The question is ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why don't all living beings die at night due to lack of oxygen?

During the day plants photosynthesize and give out oxygen through stomata. But during the night, when half of the planet is dark, half of the earth's trees/plants consumes oxygen to survive. At that ...
Ritwik's user avatar
  • 157
1 vote
3 answers
151 views

How could oxygen levels have ever been higher if there is so little carbon dioxide present?

Assumptions: Essentially all oxygen that's ever been present in the atmosphere originated from oxygenic photosynthesis. The production of an oxygen molecule during photosynthesis leads to the ...
Alessandro Power's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
169 views

Interpretation of Phanerozoic CO2 levels graph

I used to talk with a family friend who often sent me links to Nobel Prize winners, claiming that climate change is a myth. Last week, we had a disagreement over a link referencing a Nobel Prize ...
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