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Carbon dioxide is a gas comprising less than 0. 04 % of the atmosphere. It is used by plants to make, directly or indirectly, all of the food that we eat. Increases in the concentration of carbon dioxide generally increase the growth rate of plants and decrease their water use. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing, mostly as a result of burning of coal, oil, gas and forests. Its concentration may double by the end of the next century.
Carbon dioxide also significantly influences the Earth's climate despite its small concentration, because it is a "greenhouse" gas. "Greenhouse gases" are so named because they trap heat near the earth " surface, and prevent it from being radiated back into space. With too few greenhouse gases, Earth would be too cold for life, and with too many, it would too hot. Man's activities are changing the concentration of greenhouse gases the atmosphere, and there is concern that this may significantly change the climate. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, second in importance only to water vapor.
Other pollutants such as methane and CFC's (chlorofluorocarbons) areas greenhouse gases. Is the Greenhouse Effect Increasing? There is no doubt that the concentration of some greenhouse gases is increasing. For example, carbon dioxide has increased by 25 % in the last 100 years, and continues to increase rapidly. Whatis uncertain is whether the altered greenhouse effect has changed the Earth " silicate. Some scientists believe there is data indicating that the Earth " silicate has already warmed; others feel that there are too many other causes of variation in temperature to be sure that temperature has changed, or that an increased greenhouse effect is responsible.
How may the climate change? Predicting climate is extremely complex, and therefore many uncertainties, such as the role of clouds, and effects of other atmospheric pollutants such as sulfur dioxide. As carbon dioxide concentration increases, many global climatic models predict an increase in average temperature of as much as 10 degrees F. Patterns of precipitation may change, with some areas becoming wetter and some drier. The frequency of extremes of weather also predicted to increase.
What is the role of agriculture? The agricultural industry influences the greenhouse effect by contributing to changes in vegetation (deforestation and reforestation), in the amount of carbon stored in soils, by consuming fossil fuels, and by being a significant source of the greenhouse gas, methane. What is the possible impact on agriculture? While the direct effects of increased carbon dioxide on plants are mostly positive, climate changes could have negative effects on agricultural production. Temperature and precipitation determine what crops can be profitably grown in different areas. Extremes of weather can be disastrous to agriculture and to food supplies.
The carbon cycle is based upon carbon dioxide. Most of the carbon is found in the atmosphere (about 0. 03 %). The carbon cycle has a very fast rate of recycle because many organism have a high demand for the carbon. These organism are plants, bacteria, and algae (photographs and lithographs). The reason for this need is their photosynthetic activities of these organism. It is these photosynthetic's activities that results in carbon fixation.
The organism that do this fixation are the photo autotrophs like cyanobacteria, green plants, and algae, and green and purple sulfur bacteria. All heterotrophic organism; some bacteria, protists, fungi, and animals do not have the ability to photosynthesize. It is for this reason they must obtain their carbon indirectly from organism that can fix it. The heterotroph's consume these photo autotrophs the organic compounds are digested and re synthesized. The carbon atoms are transferred from organism to organism, up the food chain. Carbon compounds are able to be broken down due to respiration and fermentation.
This will then recycle the carbon divide into the atmosphere. Some carbon may be held for a longer period of time in the bodies of organism. But when the organism dies and decomposition occurs the carbon is again released into the atmosphere. Carbon is also stored in rocks, like limestone and is dissolved in the oceans as carbonate ions. Carbon is also stored in minerals as coal and petroleum. Burning these minerals releases the carbon dioxide.
There is evidence of an increase of carbon dioxide as the result of burning of carbon dioxide as the result of burning fossil fuels. This is one reason some scientists believe that the warming of the earth is caused by carbon dioxide of the earth is caused by carbon dioxide acting as a greenhouse around the earth. Carbon fixation or Calvin Cycle: The cycle of incorporating carbon dioxide from the air into organic molecules present in chloroplasts. The initial information of carbon into organic compounds (carbon fixation). The Calvin cycle then reduce fixed carbon to carbohydrate by addition of electrons. This reducing power is needed to energized electron in the light reaction.
Light reaction: This is photo phosphorylation the production of ATP by photosynthesis. Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Gases
