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There is a natural cycle in which animals add carbon dioxide to the air and plants remove it, thus maintaining a stable concentration of carbon dioxide over a very long period of time. Humans are part of this natural cycle.

Since the start of the Industrial Age, humans have been adding additional carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, increasing the proportion by around 35 per cent, from 260-280 parts per million (ppm) to the present 380 ppm. We do this by burning fossil fuels, manufacturing cement and by deforestation.

We can reduce our impact on carbon dioxide concentrations by reducing and eventually eliminating our consumption of coal, oil and natural gas, by finding alternative processes for cement manufacture, including the capture and sequestration of gas produced, and by ceasing deforestation - even allowing some forests to return.

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What is the role of the atmosphere in the carbon cycle?

Nature produces the vast bulk of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Rotting trees, and dead matter produce over 90% of the current levels of carbon dioxide. Man produces between 3 and 6 percent of all CO2 annually.


How are we changing the balance of the gases in our atmosphere today?

We are adding more and more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This is causing global warming and climate change.


How does carbon and the atmosphere interact?

The carbon cycle moves carbon in and out of the atmosphere, the land, plants and animals, and the oceans. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a greenhouse gas that keeps the planet warm. Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, from humans adding it by burning fossil fuels, is causing an accelerated greenhouse effect, global warming.


Why one biological process that raises carbon dioxide concentration by adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

One biological process that raises carbon dioxide concentration is respiration. During respiration, organisms, including animals and plants, break down glucose to release energy, producing carbon dioxide as a byproduct. This carbon dioxide is then released into the atmosphere, contributing to overall greenhouse gas levels. Additionally, decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms also releases carbon dioxide, further increasing atmospheric concentrations.


Which process results in carbon dioxide being taken out of the atmosphere?

Photosynthesis is the process by which carbon dioxide is taken out of the atmosphere by plants. During photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to produce glucose and oxygen. The carbon in the carbon dioxide is incorporated into the plant's tissues, effectively removing it from the atmosphere.

Related Questions

How are people adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere's?

People are adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. I believe


Does adding more carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere cause the temperature to rise?

yes


What will happen to the temperature of the atmosphere after you stop adding carbon dioxide into the air?

we will all die :)


What role does the combustion of fossil fuels have in the carbon cycle?

The combustion of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect and global warming. This disrupts the balance of the carbon cycle by adding more carbon dioxide than natural systems can absorb, leading to increased levels of carbon in the atmosphere and oceans.


Does carbon dioxide sink or rise in the atmosphere?

Carbon dioxide rises in the atmosphere.


What is the role of the atmosphere in the carbon cycle?

Nature produces the vast bulk of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Rotting trees, and dead matter produce over 90% of the current levels of carbon dioxide. Man produces between 3 and 6 percent of all CO2 annually.


Does burning fossil fuels remove carbon from the atmosphere?

No, burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, adding to the overall carbon levels. This is one of the primary contributors to the greenhouse effect and climate change.


How is carbon cycled from the atmosphere through producers and consumers?

Carbon is cycled from the atmosphere to producers (plants) through photosynthesis, where they take in carbon dioxide to produce glucose. Consumers then consume these plants, obtaining carbon by eating them. When consumers respire or decompose, carbon is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.


Why is it important to be concerned about pollution and carbon dioxide?

It is important to worry about it, because carbon dioxide is a powerful greenhouse gas that is adding to the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere and contributing to global warming.


How are we changing the balance of the gases in our atmosphere today?

We are adding more and more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. This is causing global warming and climate change.


Scientists who are concerned about increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere believe global warming is caused by?

... the burning of fossil fuels, which is adding extra carbon dioxide to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.


What do you get adding one carbon and two oxygen?

Adding one carbon and two oxygen atoms would result in one molecule of carbon dioxide (CO2).