Carbon Dioxide Facts & Worksheets

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Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a significant heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas, that helps control the temperature of the Earth.

See the fact file below for more information on Carbon dioxide, or you can download our 27-page Carbon dioxide worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

CARBON DIOXIDE PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES 

• Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a colorless, odorless gas at atmospheric temperatures and pressures.
• Carbon dioxide is relatively nontoxic and noncombustible.
• Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and may suffocate by the displacement of air.
• Water dissolves carbon dioxide.
• When exposed to heat or fire for an extended period of time, the container of CO₂ gas may violently rupture and rocket.
• A carbon dioxide (CO₂) molecule comprises one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms (O=C=0) held together by covalent bond (the sharing of electrons).
• Because of their compatible symmetry, the p orbitals in carbon and oxygen can interact.
• The valence bond (VB) theory predicts two bonds for each oxygen and four bonds for carbon.
• Our planet’s air is fundamentally composed of carbon dioxide even though it is much less abundant than nitrogen and oxygen in its atmosphere.

THE CARBON CYCLE

• The carbon cycle is nature’s way of recycling carbon atoms.
• This cycle includes the chemistry of the ocean, living things, atmospheric changes, and geological activity. Carbon levels are at an all-time high, owing mainly to human activity.
• The three key processes are photosynthesis, respiration, and combustion.
• The first step of the carbon cycle is photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants absorb water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the soil and atmosphere. These plants are called producers. Water is then converted into oxygen while carbon dioxide is converted into glucose. After storing energy within the glucose molecules, the plant releases the oxygen back into the atmosphere. Photosynthesis is commonly represented through the chemical equation 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2. This equation indicates that the reactants (left side of the arrow), 6 carbon dioxide molecules and 6 water molecules, are transformed through light energy (represented by the arrow) into a sugar molecule and 6 oxygen molecules which are called the products (right side of the arrow).
• Next is respiration. Carbon compounds are being passed when consumers- organisms that eat other living things (e.g., animals), eat producers such as plants. The process of respiration provides energy for living things by combining glucose with oxygen from the air and exhale it as carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide serves as a waste product of the animal’s cells during cellular respiration. The chemical equation of cellular respiration is C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → CO₂ + H2O + ATP. It begins with the reactants, sugar and oxygen, producing carbon dioxide and water as waste products, as well as ATP which is formed through the use of energy being released from glucose or sugar.
• Decomposition comes next. When animals and plants die, decomposers such as bacteria and fungi decompose the dead organisms and return the carbon in their bodies to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. This process is specifically called aerobic decomposition. It is when oxygen is present during the breakdown of organic materials.
• Additionally, combustion and other human activities cause the atmosphere to accumulate more carbon dioxide. Combustion often referred as burning. Thus, burning of something such as hydrocarbon fuels like oil, gas, coal, and wood releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 
• Carbon from fossil fuels and oxygen in the air combine during combustion to form carbon dioxide and water vapor. Generally, combustion reactions are represented with the equation fuel + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O. However, the value of the equation can be changed depending on the fuel. Examples are methane, butane, propane, or octane.

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

• The greenhouse effect is the phenomenon in which the Earth’s atmosphere traps solar radiation due to the presence of gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and water vapor (H₂O). These gases are collectively known as greenhouse gases (GHGs).
• The term “greenhouse effect” comes from the process that occurs in a greenhouse: short wavelength visible sunlight shines through the glass panes of a greenhouse, warming the air and plants inside. 
• The radiation emitted by heated objects inside the greenhouse has a longer wavelength and thus cannot pass through the glass barrier, keeping the greenhouse warm.
• The greenhouse effect occurs when gases in the Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat. This process warms the Earth significantly more than without an atmosphere. The greenhouse effect contributes to Earth being a pleasant place to live.
• The Earth’s surface cools at night, releasing heat into the atmosphere. However, some of the heat is trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases. That keeps our planet at an average temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius).

CARBON DIOXIDE THROUGH THE YEARS

• Human activities have increased atmospheric CO₂ by 50% since the beginning of industrial times (in the 18th century), meaning that the amount of CO₂ is now 150% of its value in 1750. This is more than what occurred naturally at the end of the last ice age 20,000 years ago.
• The map on the right depicts the evolution of global carbon dioxide levels over time. CO₂ levels rose from 365 parts per million (ppm) in 2002 to over 400 ppm today. Parts per million” refers to the number of carbon dioxide molecules in one million dry air molecules.

CAUSES OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

• The release of greenhouse gases and their precursors into the atmosphere over a specific area and time is referred to as emissions. 
• Sources of carbon dioxide involve both natural and human activities. Natural sources of CO₂ in the Earth’s atmosphere include volcanic outgassing, wildfires, respiration and decay of living organisms. Humans contribute greatly through burning of  fossil fuels and forests.
• The production of carbonated beverages, the blasting of coal, the inflation of life rafts and life jackets, the foaming of rubber and plastics, the use of carbon dioxide as a refrigerant in fire extinguishers, and many other applications are examples of where carbon dioxide is being used.
• Carbon dioxide makes up 0.05% of the Earth’s atmosphere. Although we don’t have much carbon dioxide on our planet, the balance that we do have is critical, so everyone should strive to reduce their CO₂ production to keep the Earth from becoming more like Venus – trapped in greenhouse gases.

EFFECTS

• The world is currently being affected by climate change. This phenomenon has been influenced by tsunamis, hurricanes, cloudbursts, flooding, and unseasonal monsoons. Humans are criticized for using fossil fuels like coal and oil to power up machines.
• Temperatures rise as a result of carbon dioxide, extending the growing season and raising humidity.
• In areas with high soil CO₂ levels, the gas can enter basements through cracks in stone walls, floors, and foundations, or through gaps in floors.
• High CO₂ levels have the potential to be harmful to human health because they can displace oxygen and nitrogen.
• Oceanic carbon dioxide dissolution produces carbonic acid, which raises the water’s acidity.

SOLUTIONS

• Through a process called carbon sequestration, which also uses direct air capture to draw carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, carbon can be taken out of the atmosphere.
• Carbon dioxide can be created by both natural and artificial means, but it can also be absorbed by carbon sinks. The world’s biggest carbon sinks are the forests, ocean, and soil. These are examples of natural sources and processes, whereas artificial processes include the preservation of existing forests and the injection of CO₂ into oceans, where it slowly dissolves into the water.

Carbon Dioxide Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Carbon Dioxide across 27 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Carbon Dioxide, a significant heat-trapping gas, that helps control the temperature of the Earth.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Carbon Dioxide Facts 
2. To C-O-2 Believe
3. Poster-Slogan
4. What’s in the Air?
5. My Carbon Footprint
6. Block it Out
7. Effects Reflect
8. Make a Change!
9. What Happens Next?
10. Word-Picking
11. The Actors

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is carbon dioxide so important?

Carbon dioxide is a vital greenhouse gas that helps to keep our planet warm. Our planet would be uncomfortably cold without it. CO2 levels in the atmosphere, on the other hand, are rising due to global warming and causing average worldwide temperatures to rise.

Can humans live without CO2?

Carbon dioxide is essential for human life. Internal respiration in humans requires carbon dioxide to work. This process moves oxygen throughout the body and removes carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a blood pH maintainer, allowing for life.

How does CO2 affect climate?

If there was no carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, Earth would be uninhabitable due to the freezing temperatures. By releasing more carbon dioxide into the air, we are intensifying the greenhouse effect and rapidly raising global temperatures.

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Link will appear as Carbon Dioxide Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 15, 2022