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Because we began burning coal at the start of the Industrial Revolution.
The increase in carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere over the last 150 years was due to mankind's burning of fossil fuels.
There is no known way that humans can economically remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; all we can really do is reduce our emissions of carbon dioxide and slow down the rate at which atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are increasing. The surface waters of the ocean do absorb some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as atmospheric carbon dioxide level increase, but there is little interchange betwen the warm upper ocean and the deep layers. However over a period of several thousand years, there is sufficient interchange to absorb large volumes of carbon dioxide, allowing the atmospheric concentration to return more or less to normal. Afforestation. Planting trees will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The oceans help to keep the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere low by dissolving a large portion of CO2 from the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the increased CO2 in the atmosphere is causing the oceans to become more acidic.
There would be significantly more CO2 in the atmosphere because plants take in CO2 during photosynthesis and fix the carbon into glucose.
Oxygen is the element that transformed Carbon Dioxide atmosphere a billion years ago to what you breathe.
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere in 1960 were around 315 ppm (parts per million). Levels now (2013) are approaching 400 ppm.
Because we began burning coal at the start of the Industrial Revolution.
The increase in carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere over the last 150 years was due to mankind's burning of fossil fuels.
Levels of carbon dioxide are changing in the atmosphere because of the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) in industry, transport and the generation of electricity. This year (2013) carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere reached 400 ppm. At the beginning of the Industrial Revolution they had been 280 ppm for thousands of years.
There is no known way that humans can economically remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; all we can really do is reduce our emissions of carbon dioxide and slow down the rate at which atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are increasing. The surface waters of the ocean do absorb some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as atmospheric carbon dioxide level increase, but there is little interchange betwen the warm upper ocean and the deep layers. However over a period of several thousand years, there is sufficient interchange to absorb large volumes of carbon dioxide, allowing the atmospheric concentration to return more or less to normal. Afforestation. Planting trees will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
This means an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. There is a normal balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Trees and green plants soak it up, and then when the trees rot or are burnt the carbon dioxide goes back into the atmosphere. However, more than 200 years ago we began seriously burning coal and oil. This released carbon dioxide that had been trapped millions of years ago. So over the years the amount of this gas in the atmosphere has been increasing. Most climate scientists agree that this increase in carbon dioxide is contributing to climate change and global warming.
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon dioxide, laid down millions of years ago when fossil fuels were formed.
The oceans help to keep the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere low by dissolving a large portion of CO2 from the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the increased CO2 in the atmosphere is causing the oceans to become more acidic.
carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and still nitrogen
There would be significantly more CO2 in the atmosphere because plants take in CO2 during photosynthesis and fix the carbon into glucose.