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Definition: carbon dioxide from Philip's Encyclopedia

(CO2) Colourless, odourless gas that occurs in the atmosphere (0.03%) and as a product of the combustion of fossil fuels and respiration in plants and animals. In its solid form (dry ice) it is used in refrigeration; as a gas it is used in carbonated beverages and fire extinguishers. Research indicates that its increase in the atmosphere leads to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Properties: m.p. -56.6°C (-69.9°F); sublimes -78.5°C (-109.3°F).

carbon dioxide

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Colourless, odourless gas, slightly soluble in water , and denser than air. It is formed by the complete oxidation of carbon. Carbon dioxide is produced by living things during the processes of respiration and the decomposition of organic matter, and it is used up during photosynthesis . It therefore plays a vital role in the carbon cycle . Solid carbon dioxide is called dry ice, as it changes directly from a solid to a gas (sublimes) on warming. It is used as a coolant in its solid form and in the chemical industry. Its increasing quantity in the atmosphere contributes to the greenhouse effect and global warming . Britain has 1% of the world's population, yet it produces 3% of CO 2 emissions; the USA has 5% of the world's population and produces 25% of CO 2 emissions. Despite growing awareness of the problem, carbon dioxide levels continue to rise worldwide. Chemistry of carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is formed when carbon and carbon-containing compounds are fully oxidized, as when…
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Full text Article carbon dioxide

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Colourless, odourless gas, slightly soluble in water , and denser than air. It is formed by the complete oxidation of carbon. Carbon dioxide is produced by living things during the processes of respiration and the decomposition of organic matter, and it is used up during photosynthesis . It…
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Full text Article carbon dioxide

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
chemical compound, CO 2 , a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. It does not burn, and under normal conditions it is stable, inert and nontoxic. It will however support combustion of magnesium…
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Full text Article carbon dioxide

From Library of Health and Living: The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health
Also known as: CO 2 A colorless gas produced by the complete oxidation of organic compounds through the release of energy . Carbon dioxide is the endproduct when carbohydrate , protein , and fats are completely burned by the body to produce energy (respiration). This gas readily diffuses out of the…
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Full text Article carbon dioxide

From The Penguin Dictionary of Science
carbon dioxide
CO 2 The oxide of carbon (see the diagram ) with ➤ oxidation number +4, which exists as a colourless gas. It undergoes ➤ sublimation at -78°C to form ➤ dry ice . The gas is non-toxic which, together with its conveniently low sublimation temperature, accounts for its use both as a refrigerant and as…
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Full text Article carbon dioxide

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Inorganic compound, a colourless gas with a faint, sharp odour and a sour taste when dissolved in water, chemical formula CO 2 . Constituting about 0.03% of air by volume, it is produced when carbon-containing materials burn completely, and it is a product of fermentation and animal respiration . …
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Full text Article carbon dioxide

From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary
CAS: 124-38-9. CO 2 . (1) Gas: colorless; odorless. D 1.97 g/L (0C, 1 atm), d 1.53 (air = 1.00). (2) Liquid: volatile, colorless; odorless. D 1.101 (−37C), sp volume 8.76 cu ft/lb (70F). (3) Solid (dry ice): white, snowlike flakes or cubes. D 1.56 (−79C), mp −78.5C (sublimes). All forms are…
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Million...
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) makes up the largest share of man-made greenhouse gases. The addition of man-made greenhouse gases to the atmosphere disturbs the earth's radiative balance (i.e. the balance between the solar energy that the earth absorbs and radiates back into space). This is leading to an…
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Climatological mean distribution of the...
1 Abstract Presently, about 10 billion tons of carbon are emitted into the air as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from various human activities including fossil fuel combustion and land use changes. About ¼ of this amount is being absorbed by the oceans, while about one half of it remains the air. The oceans…
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Full text Article Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

From The Big Idea: How Breakthroughs of the Past Shape the Future Full text Article Biology & the Environment
Date: 1772 In 1774 English chemist and theologian Joseph Priestley conducted a famous experiment in which he proved that plants take in a gas that animals give off (carbon dioxide) and that plants give off a gas that animals take in (oxygen). Priestley took a mouse and placed it in an enclosed glass…
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Full text Article Carbon Dioxide Snow

From Black's Veterinary Dictionary
Carbon dioxide snow is formed when CO 2 is first compressed in a cylinder to a liquid and then released through a small nozzle. The temperature falls to about -70° C (94° F) and the CO 2 solidifies as a snow. This is then compressed into solid blocks, which are used for a variety of purposes where a…
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