What is on my mind? Carbon Dioxide! That has been on my mind for sometime now. Sure seems that a lot of humans are still thinking the opposite in many things... including thoughts about carbon. ---------------------- Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound consisting of one part carbon and two parts oxygen and represented by the chemical formula CO 2 . For a number of reasons, carbon dioxide is one of the most important gases on Earth. Plants use carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates (sugars and starches) in the process known as photosynthesis. (In photosynthesis, plants make use of light to break down chemical compounds and produce energy.) Since humans and all other animals depend on plants for their food, photosynthesis is necessary for the survival of all life on Earth. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is also important because it captures heat radiated from Earths surface. That heat keeps the planet warm enough for plant and animal (including human) life to survive. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere may be responsible for long-term changes in Earths climate. Those changes may have both beneficial and harmful effects on human and other forms of life on the planet. History Credit for the discovery of carbon dioxide goes to Flemish scientist Jan Baptista van Helmont (c. 1580–1644; some sources give death date as 1635). Around 1630, van Helmont identified a gas given off by burning wood and gave it the name gas sylvestre (wood gas). Today we know that gas is carbon dioxide. Van Helmonts discovery was important not only because he first recognized carbon dioxide but also because he first understood that air is a combination of gases, not a single gas. Some of the most complete studies of carbon dioxide were conducted by Scottish chemist Joseph Black (1728–1799). In 1756, Black proved that carbon dioxide (which was then called fixed air) occurred in the atmosphere and that it could form other compounds. He also identified carbon dioxide in the breath exhaled by humans. The first practical use of carbon dioxide can be traced to an invention made by English chemist Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) in the mid-1700s. Priestley found that by dissolving carbon dioxide in water he could produce a fresh, sparkling beverage with a pleasant flavor. Since Priestleys discovery lacks only sugar and flavoring to make it a modern soda pop or cola drink, he can properly be called the father of the soft drink industry. Read more: scienceclarified/Ca-Ch/Carbon-Dioxide.html#ixzz38xfJDTBU scienceclarified/Ca-Ch/Carbon-Dioxide.html
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 14:17:20 +0000
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