Why Carbon Dioxide level high in planet earth?

Answer 1

Profound question-- and it has a rather surprising answer.

After all, terrestrial plants and aquatic phytoplankton LOVE carbon dioxide. Why, then- with carbon dioxide levels increasing- aren't the forests thriving?

The answer turns out to be depletion of micro-nutrients in the soil.

Q: Where do the minerals in the soil come from?

A: Microorganisms processing the surface of rocks.

Q: How do you provide more rock surface area?

A: Grind them to powder.

Q: Where does rock powder come from?

A: Glaciers!

'Turns out that glaciers are "Nature's way" of re-mineralizing the soil. During interglacial periods (like today) minerals are gradually leached out of the soil until plant life can no longer "keep up" with carbon dioxide production. As the the planet warms, evaporation from the oceans and precipitation increase. Increased snow cover at the poles increases the planetary albedo and exacerbates volcanism. Increased albedo decreases solar insulation in snow-covered regions. More under-sea volcanism translates to still-warmer oceans and even more precipitation-- and the cycle continues.

'Turns out ice ages generally last on the order of a hundred thousand years and the relatively brief interglacial periods only about ten thousand.

To keep this in perspective, consider that everything we know of human civilization occurred during the tail end of the most recent interglacial period.

Ominously- gas bubbles from polar ice show carbon dioxide peaks immediately preceding past ice ages.

Welcome to the next ice age!

Answer 2

It is an abundant element in on this planet. And life forms are carbon based here. It used to be a planet of vegetation, where oxygen was higher in concentration because the plants absorb carbon with the carbon dioxide. But more animals have evolved into the picture, and mankind has reduced the number of plants available to absorb the carbon. Add the use of fossil fuels, which are full of carbon, and the level of carbon in the atmosphere goes up quite a bit. In other words, we've upset the capacity of plants to absorb and store the excess carbon, and it is starting to build up faster than they can trap it.

Answer 3

Because it is the gaseous bi-product of burning and when it cannot be reabsorbed in some manner by the nature's universal system also re-cycle it proportional amount increases, thus results in the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Trees often fix it by converting it back into various carbon based products, such as Carbohydrates (Starch, Cellulose, Sugars .... etc.).

Lakes dissolve some CO2 as well and converts it into Carbonic acid which when reacted with Calcium results in the formation Limestone. Excessive us of phosphate based soap also tips the balance and presents the formation of limestone as phosphate competes with carbonate counterparts.

At the end of the we, the Human factor are the real culprits and have to start taking responsibilities for our action's. May be one of the best ways we can help is to plant more trees and put strict restrictions on the lumber industry.

Answer 4

It is as high because respiration activity liberates C atoms from sugar and Cs are combined with O2 to form CO2.
All this activity now a days is to be added to fossil fuels combustion.
But the main source is LIFE.
We know this because on mars all O2 is captured on rock as oxides, and C is attached to several compounds, like methane, calcium carbonate, etc.
Life makes CO2 available to the atmosphere.

Answer 5

From the population, when we respirate we produde c02,and using fossil fuel. But plants utilize carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, which makes oxygen.

Answer 6

It is not high. But it is above life supporting level Due to burning carbon. Our energy source is carbon.

Answer 7

its been higher before. the oxygen level was much lower before, all kinds of things have been different. How much humans are adding to it is debatable, but the earth has had swings in both composition of the atmosphere as well as temperature, for billions of years.

Answer 8

its not high.....carbon dioxide forms 0.02% of the atmosphere, oxygen forms 20% of it.... how exactly do u find carbon dioxide in excess?

well.....it is increasing, refer to your other answers to know how and why it is increasing.

Answer 9

actually majour source of CO2 emition is LIFE including plants and humen. but that amount is naturally consumed in trees and coverted in to o2. but the part that we make through burning of fossil fual remains in the atmosphere and get accumilated

Answer 10

From the burning of oil and the use of other fossil fuels