Was there any equilibrium b/w CO2 and other gases immediately before industrial revolution in atmosphere?

Question

I understand early earth atmosphere had lot of CO2 and less oxygen. Later on the Stromatolites increased the concentration of oxygen. My question is basically this:

1. Had we reached an equilibrium prior to industrial revolution in terms of proportion of CO2 and other gases in atmosphere?
2. Due to current state of affairs is this equilibrium going to shift in either direction even if we stop producing more CO2?
3. What can be the effect of such a shift?

Thanks,
Sandeep

Answer 1

where are you getting this?

there never was, nor will there ever be equal amounts of gasses. nor will there be equal amounts of anything in nature.

Answer 2

There's never really a true state of equilibrium just periods of time when things are more stable than others.

Immediately prior to the Industrial Revolution atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were rising slowly. Prior to the IR levels were about 280 parts per million by volume, a level close to their natural peak. For millions of years there has been a fairly regular cycle with CO2 levels varying between about 180 and 290 ppmv, these cycles have a frequency of approx 125,000 years.

Had there been no human activity the natural cycle would have continued and at some point in the next few thousand years CO2 levels would have peaked at between 280 and 300ppmv before starting to drop.

Today levels are up to 384ppmv, humans effectively having done in 200 years what nature takes 125,000 years to acheive - namely a 100ppmv increase in concentrations.

The equilibrium point, such as it is, constantly shifts but the effect in terms of overall atmospheric composition is small. CO2 accounts for approx 0.4% of the atmosphere, should levels double (many people think they will), there will be significant consequences but not so much in terms of the point of equilibrium or overall atmospheric composition.

Answer 3

1. It is my understanding that there isn't really any equilibrium between those gases. They are governed by the presence of animals, plants and I believe that the food chain is the governing facto for the abundance of animal and plant biomass.
2. Most likely. The present CO2 has only begun to affect the Earth's temperature. An equilibrium between the forcing factors and Earth's atmosphere takes a while to achieve. As temperature rises secondary amplifying effects (EG reduced ice which reflects sun light, increased emissions of GHG's due to permafrost melting, etc.)
3. Increased CO2 will raise temperatures which will change the ocean Ph which will effect plants there. However, I don't see leading to any changes in O2 levels.

To Mr Jello:
Earth is always reaching for equilibrium. When it is changed , by a factor in it, we'll see changes in the overall system. If one factor is changed it will effect the rest of the system and the other factors. Of course, Earth is a dynamic system but that don't change the fact that there are equilibriums.

Answer 4

No and even so Alien landings have added more CO2 - it's not me or you burning 200million years worth of sequestrated CO2 in 200yrs. That would presume too much of man. God did it!

In fact Equilibrium - between a small 0.5% shift over geologically short periods - 70,000 year or less is so. Over millions of years no.

This stable and apparant equilibrium has shifted more in the last 40years than ever before known as revealed in the ice core record. Its trend correlates accurately to the trend in fossil fuel consumption - strange I know but that's just a coincidence. Bush and Exxon tell me it's nothing to do with them and God will save us anyway.

Answer 5

Equilibrium isn't quite the right term. Prior to industrialization we had a system that was inherently stable, even when given a large scale, catastrophic event to deal with. It's been successful righting itself when the balance tipped one way or the other. That's what's been lost, the stability. We've pushed things beyond the boundaries of what the natural systems can cope with, while drastically reducing the capacity of the natural mechanisms that have protected us. It is possible the earth would recover if the human contribution to Global Warming stopped-- the earth has dealt with some pretty severe insults in the past. If humans continue as they have in the recent past, the balance will continue to tip farther and farther in the direction it's going now.

Answer 6

You are trying to apply Le Chartliers principle? It is a good idea, but i dont think that this scenario would be suitable for that application. The eath is changing constantly, therefore the earth is not at, or reaching for, equilibrium. if it was going for equilibrium; then, at least at some points, it would attain it for a short period of time.

Answer 7

No, the Earth is either warming or cooling, there is much evidence that suggest the amount of CO2 that exists in Earths atmosphere is temperature dependent.

Answer 8

No. The Earth never reaches equilibrium, it is always changing.

Look at this graph from the Vostok ice core samples. These samples allow us to track the temp back over 500,000 years.

You clearly see that there is a natural cycle of the Earth, and we're no where near as warm now as we have been in the past.

Answer 9

Yep, the eruptions from modern day volcano's have put more CO2 into the atmosphere than all mankind has.

Answer 10

ill check to confirm your question i am wondering the same thing but it is somewhat similar