Human activity has already reached such proportions that the total carbon dioxide content in the Earth’s atmosphere has reached the maximum permissible values. Natural systems - land, atmosphere, ocean, are under destructive influence.
Important facts
The carbon dioxide content in the Earth’s atmosphere over the past century is constantly increasing. In addition to CO 2 , other gases that do not relate to the natural components of the global ecological system enter there.
For example, these include fluorocarbons. These gas impurities emit and absorb solar radiation, which affects the planet’s climate. Collectively, CO 2 , other gaseous compounds that appear in the atmosphere, are called greenhouse gases.
History reference
What is the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere? Svante Arrhenius thought about this issue at one time . He managed to prove the relationship between carbon dioxide emissions and climate change. The scientist pointed out that when burning minerals, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere increases sharply.
He warned that an increase in the amount of fuel burned could lead to a violation of the radiation balance of the Earth.
Modern realities
Today, more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere when burning fuel, as well as in connection with the changes that occur in nature due to deforestation and an increase in agricultural land.
The mechanism of action of carbon dioxide on wildlife
An increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes a greenhouse effect. If carbon monoxide (IV) is transparent during short-wave solar radiation, it absorbs long-wave radiation, radiating energy in all directions. As a result, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere increases significantly, the Earth's surface heats up, and the lower layers of the atmosphere become hot. With a subsequent increase in carbon dioxide, global climate change is possible.
That is why it is important to predict the total carbon dioxide content in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Sources of atmospheric release
Among them, industrial emissions can be distinguished. The carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere increases due to anthropogenic emissions. Economic growth directly depends on the amount of natural resources burned, as many industries are energy-intensive enterprises.
The results of statistical studies indicate that since the end of the last century, in many countries there has been a decrease in unit energy costs with a significant increase in electricity prices.
Its effective use is achieved through the modernization of the technological process, vehicles, the use of new technologies in the construction of production workshops. Some developed industrial countries have moved from the development of the processing and raw materials industries to the development of those areas that are engaged in the manufacture of the final product.
The percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is not a constant. With minimal development of the production base, the presence of dense forest, it has minimal performance.
In large megacities with a serious industrial base, carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere are significantly higher, since 2 is often a by-product of industries whose activities satisfy the needs of education and medicine.
In developing countries, a significant increase in the use of high-quality fuel per capita is considered a serious factor in moving to a higher standard of living. At present, an idea is being put forward according to which continued economic growth and an increase in living standards are possible without increasing the amount of fuel burned.
Depending on the region, the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is from 10 to 35%.
The relationship between energy consumption and CO2 emissions
To begin with, energy is not produced just for the sake of its production. In developed industrial countries, most of it is used in industry, for heating and cooling buildings, for transport. Studies conducted by large research centers have shown that using energy-saving technologies can achieve a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions into the earth's atmosphere.
For example, scientists were able to calculate that if the United States switched to less energy-intensive technologies in the production of consumer goods, this would reduce the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere by 25%. On a global scale, this would reduce the greenhouse effect problem by 7%.
Carbon in nature
Analyzing the problem of carbon dioxide emissions into the Earth’s atmosphere, we note that the carbon that is part of it is vital for the existence of biological organisms. Its ability to form complex carbon chains (covalent bonds) leads to the appearance of protein molecules necessary for life. The biogenic carbon cycle is a complex process, because it includes not only the functioning of living beings, but also the transfer of inorganic compounds between different carbon reservoirs, as well as inside them.
These include the atmosphere, continental mass, including soil, as well as the hydrosphere, lithosphere. Over the past two centuries, changes in carbon fluxes have been observed in the biofer-atmosphere-hydrosphere system, which in their intensity significantly exceed the rate of the geological transport processes of this element. That is why you need to be limited to considering relationships within the system, including the soil.
Serious studies regarding the quantification of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere have been carried out since the middle of the last century. The pioneer in such calculations was Killing, who works at the famous Mauna Loa Observatory.
An analysis of the observations showed that changes in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are affected by the photosynthesis cycle, the destruction of plants on land, and also the annual temperature change in the oceans. During the experiments, it was possible to find out that the quantitative content of carbon dioxide in the northern hemisphere is significantly higher. Scientists have suggested that this is due to the fact that most of the anthropogenic income falls on this particular hemisphere.
For analysis, air samples were taken without special techniques, in addition, the relative and absolute error of the calculations were not taken into account. Thanks to the analysis of air bubbles contained in the glacial cores, the researchers were able to establish data on the content of carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere in the range 1750-1960.
Conclusion
Over the past centuries, significant changes have occurred in continental ecosystems, the reason was the increase in anthropogenic impact. With an increase in the quantitative content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of our planet, the greenhouse effect increases, which negatively affects the existence of living organisms. That is why it is important to switch to energy-saving technologies that can reduce the flow of CO 2 into the atmosphere.