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How many tons of carbon dioxide are pumped into the atmosphere by cars?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Gasoline weights about 6.3 pounds per gallon. Each gallon of fuel results in 20 pounds of CO2, because carbon from the fuel combines with oxygen in the air. C12 + O16 + O16 = CO2.
I fill my car once about once a week. Some people drive a lot more, and others a lot less, but I figure my car is probably close to average. The tank holds 15 gallons, so that is 15 x 20 = 300 pounds of CO2 per week. I drive about 50 weeks out of the year, so 50 * 300 = 15,000 pounds of CO2. That is about 7.5 tons per vehicle per year.
Humans emit a little over 30 billion tons of CO2 per year altogether. Americans burn 375 million gallons of gas a day, emitting about 1.4 billion tons of CO2 per year. If we divide that by 7.5 we get 182 million vehicles, pretty close to one car for every two Americans. The math checks out reasonably well.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoMuch of the additional atmospheric CO2 each year comes from burning coal for electricity. Automobiles are a close second to that, however.
Current production is about 32 billion barrels of oil per year. There are 6 to 8 barrels per ton, averaging 4.5 billion tons per year. Not all this oil is used for automobile fuel, some of it is used for lubricant, manufacture of plastics, and so on.
The US consumes about 134 billion gallons of gasoline per year (2011, EIA), which is roughly 46% of the global figure. So 134/.46 = 290 billion gallons per year world wide. That includes what is used by boats, and I believe diesel engines also, used by trucks and trains and so on.
Each gallon weighs approximately 6.3 pounds, but when burned produces 19 pounds of CO2. This is because the oxygen from the atmosphere is combined with the carbon gas. So 290 billion gallons x 6.3 pounds/gallon x 19 = 35 trillion pounds of CO2. This works out to about 17 billion tons per year.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoone gallon of gasoline produces 19 pounds of carbon dioxide
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Do cars omit carbon dioxide?
No, they release carbon and others from the exhaust but later the carbon goes through synthesis in which it forms carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
What is Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by?
Many things contribute to Carbon dioxide being released. Cars, animals, burning fossil fuels, etc.
Carbon dioxide build up in your atmosphere for two reasons what is the best example of the prob?
because of cows and cars
How might solar powered buildings and cars reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere?
Solar powered buildings and cars reduce carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere because instead of having the process of burning like fossil fuels they take in the light energy from the sun, store and use it.
How have humans added excess amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere?
People added carbon dioxide to the Earth's atmosphere by polluting with fires, carbon dioxide from cars, smoke, and other things that pollute the Earth's atmosphere. Also, when we pollute the atmosphere gets thinner and more heat is coming in and the ice in the poles would melt and increase the water level in the ocean.
What effects increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Cars and factories.
Do cars omit carbon dioxide?
No, they release carbon and others from the exhaust but later the carbon goes through synthesis in which it forms carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
What is Carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by?
Many things contribute to Carbon dioxide being released. Cars, animals, burning fossil fuels, etc.
What is the quickest way to reduce the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Stop driving cars
Why are all cars bad for the traffic?
they realese carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and also sometimes gets you late to work
Carbon dioxide build up in your atmosphere for two reasons what is the best example of the prob?
because of cows and cars
Where is CO2 usually found?
All animals emit CO2 (carbon dioxide) as waste. When you breathe out, you are expelling carbon dioxide. Anytime anything is burned, the results are H2O (water) and carbon dioxide. Engines in cars burn gasoline for energy and carbon dioxide is released. This is the same as what factory smokestacks do to produce carbon dioxide, which is thrown into the atmosphere.
How might solar powered buildings cars reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere?
Solar powered buildings and cars reduce carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere because instead of having the process of burning like fossil fuels they take in the light energy from the sun, store and use it.
How might solar powered buildings and cars reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere?
Solar powered buildings and cars reduce carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere because instead of having the process of burning like fossil fuels they take in the light energy from the sun, store and use it.
What human activities have led to increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
one of them is people drive cars another is globle warming
How does cars put carbon dioxide into the air?
Burning gasoline releases the carbon dioxide.
What increases carbon dioxide in the air driving cars or heating buildings with coal?
Both these activities release long-hidden carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Coal emits more CO2 than oil (when burnt).
