Carbon+Dioxide

__ **Carbon Dioxide** __


 * What is the Carbon Dioxide? **
 * Carbon Dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms bonded to a single carbon atom.
 * It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state.
 * It is produced during respiration by plants and by all animals, fungi and microorganisms that depend either directly or indirectly on plants for food.


 * How does carbon dioxide affect wildlife? **
 * It affects wildlife by plants using carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to make sugars, which may either be consumed in respirtation or used as the raw material to produce other organic compounds.
 * Aquatic plant life depends upon carbon dioxide and bicarbonates in water for growth in photosynthesis.

** How have humans activities impacted carbon dioxide? **
 * Humans have been increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air by burning fossil fuels, producing cement and by carrying out land clearing and forest combustion.


 * Facts-- **
 * There is about fifty times as much carbon dissolved in sea water of the oceans in the form of CO2 and carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate ions as exists in the atmosphere.
 * Most carbon dioxide that enters a stream or river comes form either Earth's atmosphere or its groundwater systems.
 * Decomposition and respiration are other sources of carbon dioxide.
 * As plants photosynthesize and organisms absorb carbonate mineral from the water, carbon dioxide is removed from a stream or river.
 * The oceans act as a carbon sink, and have taken up about a third of CO2 emitted by human activity.

(Effects of increasing carbon dioxide and temperature on coral reefs.)  Rising carbon dioxide in the air in the past years. PPM- Parts per million
 * __ Uses-- __**
 * Drinks
 * Foods
 * Fire extinguisher
 * Welding
 * Caffeine removal
 * Pharmaceutical and other chemical processing
 * Agricultural and biological applications
 * Lasers
 * Polymers and plastics
 * Oil recovery
 * As refrigerants
 * Coal bed methane recovery
 * Wine making
 * pH control