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Carbon dioxide does occur naturally in our atmosphere, and is actually necessary for plant life. However, since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide has reached dangerous levels. This causes a "greenhouse effect", which works like this:The sun's light hits the ground, and part of it reflects back into space. This is normal. However, the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reflects it back to the ground, causing an increase in temperature. Even though the increase is less than one degree in average temperatures around the globe, it is enough to cause melting of the ice caps and affect the overall biosphere.

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14y ago
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13y ago

Carbon Dioxide is a part of the cycle of plant and animal life.

Carbon Dioxide is used by plants to manufacture sugars and the plants then give off oxygen as a byproduct. Animals such as people can breathe that oxygen in the air and change it back to carbon dioxide while metabolizing food. Other processes such as fire and rot also can produce carbon dioxide using the oxygen in the air. Burning of fossil fuels also reduces atmospheric oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.

Carbon dioxide also affects the radiation budget of the earth. That is the amount of heat that is absorbed balanced against the amount of heat radiated. Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere tends to serve as a blanket that allows the high frequency energy radiations from the sun in toward the earth. When these high frequency radiations strike the earth, they produce heat that then may be dissipated as infra-red radiation. But carbon dioxide tends to reflect infra-red radiation and increases the overall heat of the earth.

Carbon dioxide also dissolves in cold water and some is absorbed into the world oceans.

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11y ago

Carbon dioxide (CO2) from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) in industry, transport and the generation of electricity, adds to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This extra CO2 makes an enhanced (or accelerated) greenhouse effect which is causing global warming .

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13y ago

Carbon dioxide primarily warms the earth as a greenhouse gas. It traps thermal radiation in the lower atmosphere, keeping the atmosphere warmer than it otherwise would be. Increases in carbon dioxide in the last century have caused the earth to heat up by a relatively small amount.

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11y ago

EVERY THING WOULD GO ALL SCREWY AND DIE! ALSO THERE WOULD BE FAMINES, everything will die, AND DROUGHTS!

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Q: How does carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect earth's climate?
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How does the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect climate?

Yes. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. If levels of it in the atmosphere are higher than normal, then they trap more heat. This is causing global warming, and the world warming is causing changes in climate.


Do people affect climate?

Our method of transport that burns fossil fuels produce greenhouse gases which pollute the atmosphere and creates global warming which warms up the climate. The production of electricity from burning coal or natural gas is a huge contributor to the over production of carbon dioxide as well. Agriculture also produces carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a natural occurrence but too much carbon dioxide has a negative impact - our planet is warming.


How does growing more crops affect level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Carbon dioxide is decreased.


Why should the amount of carbon in the atmosphere today be reduced?

The present levels of carbon dioxide dioxide in the atmosphere are causing global warming and climate change.


Would a forest fire affect the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Forest fires increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere


How does burning fossil fuels affect the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

The burning of fossil fuels affects the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by increasing it.


How does carbon dioxide affect carbon cycle?

It allows more water to evaporate in the atmosphere.


Do scientists think people affect climate change?

Yes climate scientists think that people are affecting climate change mostly from carbon emissions (from burning fossil fuels) and because we have destroyed the forests of the world that used to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.


How does forest vegetation affect the climate?

Forest vegetation has a cooling effect on the climate. This is because all growing plants and trees remove carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas causing global warming, from the atmosphere.


What could cause climate change?

It is generally accepted that the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere is the cause of climate change. Many different factors affect the carbon dioxide level, but the burning of fossil fuel (coal, oil, natural gas) seems to be the most important factor.


How did Hurricane Katrina affect the atmosphere?

caused disfunction in the carbon dioxide cycle


Why is the climate currently warming?

the climate is currently changing because of carbon dioxide trapping so much heat in the atmosphere