Co2 or Carbon Dioxide

Carbon Dioxide is composed of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms. The most common way to reference it is by the use of its chemical formula CO2. In the Earth’s atmosphere we can find a concentration of approximately 0.04%. CO2 is causing the greenhouse effect.

• Chemical Formula: CO2
• Molecular Weight: 44.01
• Boiling Temperature at 1 atm (1 BAR): no boiling
• Solid state CO2 -78.2° C (195° Kelvin)

CO2 is in general used for:

• Refrigeration (dry ice)
• Fire fighting, fire extinguishers
• carbonated beverages

Critical Point: 31° C (304° Kelvin) and 73 atm (BAR) of pressure.
CO2 in the Atmosphere: about 360 ppm (parts per million) carbon dioxide gas. In 1960 this value was at 315 ppm. This equals to 14.28%.
What produces CO2: 1 hour of television = 250g CO2; using 3.78 liters (1 gallon) of gasoline = 9.071 kg
The CO2 atom has a linear shape.
One pound of CO2 has a volume of 0,23 cubic meters (8.2 cubic feet)

The image on the right shows just how much CO2 is already in our atmosphere. The colors range from blue through yellow to green. Blue means little CO2 and green means a lot of CO2 is present in the atmosphere.

This pie chart shows us from where all the CO2 is coming. The big piece, 46% are coming from the energy production. 24% are coming from CFCs Chloroflourocarbon, use as an aerosol propellant), 18% from the deforestation and 9% from agriculture. The last 3% are attributed to other factors.

Clover absorbs CO2

In Viamont, Portugal, a project called ExtEnSity has been started about 30 years ago which is of very high interest concerning the CO2 reduction in the air. About 400 Ha of Clover have been planted since the beginning of the project. Each Ha of Clover absorbs 5 tons of CO2 per year.

Until 2012 a total of 3000 Ha of Glover will be planted.
The Project ExtEnSity has been initiated in 2003 and will continue untill 2008. Clover traps nitrogen so there is no need for using fertilizers.
A reduction of Portugal’s “European emissions debt” is expected.

Every plant absorbs cO2, but Clover does absorb exceptionally large amounts of it.

CO2 and Temperature relation

The “Vostok” investigation has proven the direct connection between CO2 concentration and temperature.

To be able to analyze the temperature in the past the Deuterium isotope was analyzed.

Abstract:
Air trapped in bubbles in polar ice cores constitutes an archive for the reconstruction of the global carbon cycle and the relation between greenhouse gases and climate in the past. High-resolution records from Antarctic ice cores show that carbon dioxide concentrations increased by 80 to 100 parts per million by volume 600 +/- 400 years after the warming of the last three deglaciations. Despite strongly decreasing temperatures, high carbon dioxide concentrations can be sustained for thousands of years during glaciations; the size of this phase lag is probably connected to the duration of the preceding warm period, which controls the change in land ice coverage and the buildup of the terrestrial biosphere.

CO2 Contribution to Global warming by country

The “Vostok” investigation has proven the direct connection between CO2 concentration and temperature.

To be able to analyze the temperature in the past the Deuterium isotope was analyzed.

During 1990 and 1999 a study of the emissions of CO2 has been done for the industrialized countries. The results of the studies have been integrated into a world map to easily visualize the data. What is of great interest is that the technologically most advanced country of the world is as well the largest carbon dioxide contributor.

CO2 Contribution to Global warming by country

Chart on right:
A comparison of fuel economy and emission standards around the world.
This chart represents the world carbon dioxide emissions by country between 1990 and 2025. China and the United States are the “big winners”.

The World Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Country 1990 – 2025:

The following countries where analyzed:

• Australia and New Zealand – 1990 250 million tons to become 500 million tons in 2025
• Brazil – 1990 220 million tons to rise to 500 million tons
• Canada – 1990 300 million tons of co2 to increase to 700 million tons in 2025
• China – in 1990 at 2200 million tons per year and going to pass 8000 million tons per year in 2025
• India – in 1990 at 480 million tons of CO2 and estimated to be at 2000 million tons of CO2 by end of 2025
• Japan – more or less stable 1000 million tons of CO2 throughout the period 1990 – 2025
• Mexico – in 1990 at 380 million tons of CO2 slowly up towards 480 million tons in 2025
• Russia – in 1990 at 1800 million tons of CO2, down to 1500 tons in 2002 but expected to rise to 1900 tons of CO2 by 2025
• South Korea – a slow upslope from 280 million tons of CO2 in 1990 to be 600 million tons in 2025
• United States – in 1990 at a staggering 5000 million tons of CO2 and on a steep increase to reach 7700 million tons of Carbon Dioxide by 2025