Does carbon dioxide really cause global warming? Isn't it instead caused by sun spot activity?

Answer 1

Let's look at the question critically in light of available data. Take a look at the Vostok ice core data plot in this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vostok_420ky_4curves_insolation.jpg . If atmospheric CO2 concentration causes global warming, then a reduction in CO2 concentration would cause a reduction in global temperature. More succinctly, global temperatures should not fall unless the carbon dioxide concentration falls first.

Now, look at the temperature/CO2 data in the plot at around 130,000 years (note that time in the plot is "years ago" meaning that the values are negative--so the plot proceeds from right to left as opposed to what one is used to). At this 130,000 year mark the temperature decends rather abruptly while the CO2 level remains elevated for an additional 25,000 years. If CO2 concentration controls global temperatures, this should not happen.

If you examine the rest of the graph you will see that in every case temperature changes first and then the carbon dioxide concentration changes. So, it is exactly opposite what you ask. Global warming causes an increase in carbon dioxide concentration and not the other way around.

This is well explained by the temperature dependence of the solubility of carbon dioxide in sea water. As the temperature rises the solubility drops and CO2 is released from the oceans into the atmosphere. As the temperature cools, the reverse happens. Since there is a limited surface area to the oceans and absorption requires CO2 molecules to migrate from whereever they are in the atmosphere to the ocean surface, reabsorption can take a while. Here is a link that explores this effect very well: http://www.rocketscientistsjournal.com/

Answer 2

You should watch Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth now available on DVD. It's really good. He includes a lot of information and debunks the myth that CO2 isn't the cause of global warming. It's not just a coincidence that Carbon Dioxide levels are high, and the temperature is high. Anyway, check it out. It's a great film.

Answer 3

No it is not instead caused by sun spot activity at all.
Only the gases that inter to atmosphere because of fossil fuels mainly Carbon Dioxide caused global warming. Because it prevent of transmit temperature to space. This process names Green House effect.

Answer 4

No CO2. does not cause global warming. It has always been there. If this were a proven fact, the atmosphere would be warm higher up where the so called greenhouse gases collect. But it is not. Did you know also that the biggest emitter of CO2 is the oceans? The politicians and scientists (who are making a fortune from research grants) don't tell you that. Global warming is happening, but it is not the fault of humanity. It's just another bandwagon for politicians to control us with.

Answer 5

in the beginning, algae and plant life do no longer emit CO2 they take in it to enhance. They emit oxygen. Ice center documents has shown CO2 ranges are greater now than they have been in the final 650,000 years. What the ice center documents shows is likewise a manner the place using fact the stages of CO2 upward thrust and fall of course the temperature follows the spectacular trend using fact the CO2. The oceans additionally help in the absorbtion of CO2, yet ultimately this is going to circulate returned into the ambience. a good number of human beings have confidence that the oceans and wood will take in all our CO2, so we are able to pump out as much as we adore. CO2 however can stay in the ambience for an universal of one hundred years in assessment to methane which purely continues to be in the amosphere for a decade or so. starting to be carbon concentrations regularly mirror increasing use of fossil fuels. All at the same time globally we pump out 6 billion metric a lot of carbon. This determine will enhance via 2% each each 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. So the billions of ton of CO2 that we pump into the atmopshere each continues to be there for a very long term in the past getting absorbed. Now if thats how plenty CO2 is being pumped out on the 2d think of how plenty would be emitted whilst worldwide places like India and China which between them carry a million/3 of the earth's inhabitants become industrialised and choose a similar volume of potential. explanation why the U. S. hasn't signed the Kyoto proptocal is with the help of the fact India and China havn't and this is going to additionally injury their economic gadget (of course). India and China's arguement is surely carry close on why ought to we sign this element whilst the gases that are up there are no longer our gases they are your gases. Thats honest sufficient, yet what occurs whilst those worldwide places become as industrialied using fact the U. S. and others. the U. S. says properly carry close we choose some coverage that as quickly as you men do become industrialised you will leap on board with us. If the U. S. is employing 23% of the international's potential with 3 hundred million human beings, how plenty potential will India and China choose with over 2 billion between them.

Answer 6

sun spot activity creates radiation that is somewhat linked to global warming, but is not the basis of it. When greenhouse gasses collect in the atmosphere (like C02) the stop heat from leaving the earth and thusly the earth continues to get hotter.

Answer 7

Actually it's not only the CO2 but the excess amount of green house gases in the atmosphere.