Most of carbon in the atmosphere is in the form of CO2. At nearly 400 ppm, that pencils out to 3 trillion tonnes (metric tons).
To single out how much of that is carbon we need to multiply by 12 (molecular weight of carbon) and divide by 32 (molecular weight of O2). That works out to 1.1 trillion tonnes.
There is additional carbon in the atmosphere in the form of methane (CH4), carbon monoxide (CO), chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), and a few other carbon compounds. If you count pollen, wind born leaves, birds, and other things occasionally swept aloft, the atmosphere temporarily suspends much more carbon yet.
20 million metric tons
The ocean contains approximately 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere. While the atmosphere holds about 3 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide, the ocean contains around 38,000 trillion metric tons of dissolved inorganic carbon. This significant difference highlights the ocean's critical role in regulating Earth's carbon cycle and climate.
Mars has a thin atmosphere composed of about 95% carbon dioxide (CO2). This concentration is significantly higher than Earth's, where CO2 makes up less than 0.04% of the atmosphere. The total amount of CO2 on Mars is estimated to be around 25 million metric tons, mostly stored in polar ice caps and the Martian soil.
The carbon cycle stores approximately 3 trillion metric tons of carbon in various reservoirs, including the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms. The atmosphere contains about 3,000 billion tons of carbon dioxide, while oceans hold around 38,000 billion tons. Terrestrial ecosystems, including forests and soils, store significant amounts as well, making the carbon cycle crucial for regulating Earth's climate and supporting life. Overall, the dynamic exchanges within this cycle play a vital role in maintaining the planet's ecological balance.
Rainforests play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing approximately 1.1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually through photosynthesis. However, when trees die or are cut down, they release stored carbon back into the atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, while rainforests act as significant carbon sinks, deforestation and degradation can lead to the release of vast amounts of greenhouse gases, estimated at around 1.5 billion metric tons per year globally. Therefore, their net impact on greenhouse gas levels depends on both their conservation and the extent of deforestation.
20 million metric tons
20 million metric tons
The ocean contains approximately 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere. While the atmosphere holds about 3 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide, the ocean contains around 38,000 trillion metric tons of dissolved inorganic carbon. This significant difference highlights the ocean's critical role in regulating Earth's carbon cycle and climate.
About 2,500 gigatons of carbon are estimated to be stored in the Earth's soil. This amount is roughly three times more than the carbon currently in the atmosphere. Soil carbon plays a crucial role in regulating the global carbon cycle and climate.
Approximately 37.1 billion metric tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere each year from fossil fuel combustion, accounting for the majority of anthropogenic carbon emissions.
It is a problem because the carbon has been stored for 300 million years. Adding it to the atmosphere now is too much for the carbon cycle to manage, so levels build up causing global warming.
Approximately 36 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere each year from burning fossil fuels. This significant amount of carbon dioxide is a leading contributor to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Respiration (breathing) has no effect on the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Breathing is part of the carbon cycle. We take in carbon in our food and drink and we release it again when we breathe. If we eat too much, the extra carbon is stored in our bodies, making us fatter, in much the same way as a tree stores carbon in its wood as it grows.So breathing does not increase or decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Mars has a thin atmosphere composed of about 95% carbon dioxide (CO2). This concentration is significantly higher than Earth's, where CO2 makes up less than 0.04% of the atmosphere. The total amount of CO2 on Mars is estimated to be around 25 million metric tons, mostly stored in polar ice caps and the Martian soil.
According to Wikipedia's List of countries by carbon dioxide emissions the US emits 5,838,381,000 metric tonnes annually, which is 19.91% of the global total (Figures from 2007).
The carbon cycle stores approximately 3 trillion metric tons of carbon in various reservoirs, including the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms. The atmosphere contains about 3,000 billion tons of carbon dioxide, while oceans hold around 38,000 billion tons. Terrestrial ecosystems, including forests and soils, store significant amounts as well, making the carbon cycle crucial for regulating Earth's climate and supporting life. Overall, the dynamic exchanges within this cycle play a vital role in maintaining the planet's ecological balance.
The Amazon Basin has had much of its forests destroyed. These trees used to be a carbon sink, that is, they removed and stored carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their removal means that global warming is happening more quickly!