2007-09-20 02:04:03 · 9 answers · asked by danielle_davis_cd_uk 1 in Environment ➔ Global Warming
Yes, CO2 is heavier than air, and this means that CO2 molecules are, on average, closer to the ground than the lighter constituents of the atmosphere. But it is not very much heavier, and so it is well-mixed in the lower atmosphere, and trails off exponentially in the upper atmosphere with a scaleheight that is less than other molecules. Similarly, Helium is on average lighter than air and is, on average, higher in the atmosphere than other molecules.
2007-09-20 02:16:32 · answer #1 · answered by cosmo 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Convection is the answer to your question, warm air rises at the equator and moves towards the polar regions, it subsequently cools at the top of troposphere and falls back to the surface. There are three of these great circulation cells, within each hemisphere, the Hadley,Ferrel and Polar cells. At the boundaries between these circulation patterns you will find the subtropical and polar jet streams. These massive atmospheric circulation patterns balance the searing heat from the tropics and frigid conditions at the poles through the process of convection and conduction, converting massive amounts of solar energy into kinetic energy (wind). This process is what mixes the gases in the atmosphere.
See wind systems in the following link:
http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol204/oceanatmos.htm
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2007-09-20 02:45:32 · answer #2 · answered by Tomcat 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
um how do you know that CO2 is hevier then air...air is a term and not actually made up of a specific element. CO2 gets inthe air by burning fossil fuels and decaying life.
2007-09-20 02:12:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
cosmo explained it well
remember CO2 is part of "air"
so is N2,O2 and many more
also, larger molecules than these can be swept high in the atmosphere due to things like wind currents.
2007-09-20 02:40:13 · answer #4 · answered by PD 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Heat energy keeps molecules in gases moving around, mixing them up.
If you had several gases together in a container at room temperature, they don't separate according to which are light and which are heavy. Heat energy keeps them moving and mixed up.
2007-09-20 04:23:43 · answer #5 · answered by Bob 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would assume that if it was lighter than air it would rise and be dissipated above the atmosphere.
2007-09-20 02:13:10 · answer #6 · answered by william a 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The government uses big fans to blow it up there.
I think they did the same thing with Freon.
2007-09-20 02:13:16 · answer #7 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
This explains it better than I can.
http://www.ecobridge.org/content/g_cse.htm
2007-09-20 02:12:07 · answer #8 · answered by Marvinator 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES, YES
2007-09-20 06:11:36 · answer #9 · answered by ITGUY 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋