Society & Culture0 min ago
Atmospheric pressure.
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Is atmospheric pressure increasing with all the millions of tons of carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels?
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Not significantly the Eaths atmosphere is about 5,000,000,000,000,000 tonnes so a few million extra doesn't make a big difference.
Remember too that oxygen is constantly being taken out of the atmosphere as things rust and oxidise and Nitrogen is fixed in the soil by certain plants so it's not a static system
Remember too that oxygen is constantly being taken out of the atmosphere as things rust and oxidise and Nitrogen is fixed in the soil by certain plants so it's not a static system
It seems few people have any idea of the scale of our emissions.Carbon dioxde produced by humans is is not a few million tonnes.
The emissions from fossil fuel burning alone in 2004 amounted to over 25 Billion Tonnes and this rate is still increasing. In the past 250 years over a Trillion Tonnes of carbon dioxide have been released from burning fossil fuels. That is a Billion million as opposed to the few million suggested.
This does not include the enormous emissions from deforestation and oxidation of peat from drained wetlands.
Although it is not a large enough to significantly affect the air pressure it certainly is enough to change our climate.
R1Geezer, I really don't see how the atmospheric pressure could be decreasing.
The emissions from fossil fuel burning alone in 2004 amounted to over 25 Billion Tonnes and this rate is still increasing. In the past 250 years over a Trillion Tonnes of carbon dioxide have been released from burning fossil fuels. That is a Billion million as opposed to the few million suggested.
This does not include the enormous emissions from deforestation and oxidation of peat from drained wetlands.
Although it is not a large enough to significantly affect the air pressure it certainly is enough to change our climate.
R1Geezer, I really don't see how the atmospheric pressure could be decreasing.
Sorry. A trillion is a million million. Currently sick with a virus. My brain is not working properly.
Also despite the loss of oxygen to oxidation plants produce massive amounts of oxygen. These processes have been in balance for quite some time.
Note however that the earths oxygen levels have fluctuated quite markedly over geological history even within the past couple of hundred million years.
During the age of the dinosaurs it was as low as 13%. The superior lung function of the dinosaurs (now only found in birds) put tham at a huge advantage over mammals which is why they dominated the planet for 160 million years.
Also despite the loss of oxygen to oxidation plants produce massive amounts of oxygen. These processes have been in balance for quite some time.
Note however that the earths oxygen levels have fluctuated quite markedly over geological history even within the past couple of hundred million years.
During the age of the dinosaurs it was as low as 13%. The superior lung function of the dinosaurs (now only found in birds) put tham at a huge advantage over mammals which is why they dominated the planet for 160 million years.
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Despite the enormous amount of hype that man made CO2 emissions are receiving at the moment, it should be remembered that:
1) CO2 makes up only one part in 2,500 of the atmosphere.
2) Non human sources release 30 times as much CO2 as the burning of fossil fuels.
Maybe a reduction in the UKs 2.2% of that total will have an effect. I personally doubt it.
1) CO2 makes up only one part in 2,500 of the atmosphere.
2) Non human sources release 30 times as much CO2 as the burning of fossil fuels.
Maybe a reduction in the UKs 2.2% of that total will have an effect. I personally doubt it.
Tim123 is typical of the sceptics who lap up the lies fed to them. Frankly I have had enough of those who choose to be ignorant of the facts and mouth off about things they don't have the first clue about. They simply pick the observations that suit their argument without a grain of comprehension of the relevance.
The small proportion of CO2 in the atmosphere means NOTHING. Would you eat 1/2500 of your wieght in cyanide because "it is only a small proportion and couldn't have an effect."
Despite natural sources of CO2 being greater than humans the fact is the natural production has been in equilibrium. The trillion tonnes EXTRA we have added has built up in the atmosphere enough to raise the temperature.
The UK is the world's worst emitter because it started at it before anyone else with burning vast amounts of fuel inefficiently.
The small proportion of CO2 in the atmosphere means NOTHING. Would you eat 1/2500 of your wieght in cyanide because "it is only a small proportion and couldn't have an effect."
Despite natural sources of CO2 being greater than humans the fact is the natural production has been in equilibrium. The trillion tonnes EXTRA we have added has built up in the atmosphere enough to raise the temperature.
The UK is the world's worst emitter because it started at it before anyone else with burning vast amounts of fuel inefficiently.
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