Carbon Dioxide
Crystal Lewis
9/21/10
Period 1
Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide is the infrastructure of all life on earth. Every human being and animal needs it to survive, making it an essential compound. In order to survive, humans and animals must give off carbon dioxide to take in oxygen, whereas plants must take in the compound and give off oxygen. Carbon Dioxide has numerous unique characteristics, properties, and safety measures that everyone should be aware of. Being aware of this compound and what it does could mean the difference between life and death. First of all, Carbon Dioxide, also known as CO2, has very distinctive characteristics about it that are unlike any other compounds. Carbon Dioxide was first discovered by Joseph Black in 1756 (Science Encyclopedia). It is made up of one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms (Wise Geek). In its normal, gaseous state, carbon dioxide is odorless and colorless (Articles Base). Carbon Dioxide, like most compounds, exists in all three states, liquid, gas, and solid. One special thing about Carbon Dioxide is that it does not change from a solid, to a liquid, and then to a gas like most compounds. Actually, carbon dioxide undergoes sublimation which is where it transforms from a solid, straight to a gas (Science Encyclopedia). These different states of carbon dioxide are used for a great amount of things such as soft drinks, beer, yeast, fire extinguishers, and stage fog. Carbon dioxide is also used for things in the environment like photosynthesis and respiration. Photosynthesis is where plants take in Carbon Dioxide from the air and converts it into food (glucose) and oxygen. Respiration is basically the opposite of photosynthesis. It is where humans and animals take in food and oxygen and releases energy in the form of carbon dioxide (Lenntech). Part of the process of releasing Carbon Dioxide in respiration is called the Krebs Cycle (Encyclopedia of Life Sciences). In addition to respiration, there are other ways of
9/21/10
Period 1
Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide is the infrastructure of all life on earth. Every human being and animal needs it to survive, making it an essential compound. In order to survive, humans and animals must give off carbon dioxide to take in oxygen, whereas plants must take in the compound and give off oxygen. Carbon Dioxide has numerous unique characteristics, properties, and safety measures that everyone should be aware of. Being aware of this compound and what it does could mean the difference between life and death. First of all, Carbon Dioxide, also known as CO2, has very distinctive characteristics about it that are unlike any other compounds. Carbon Dioxide was first discovered by Joseph Black in 1756 (Science Encyclopedia). It is made up of one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms (Wise Geek). In its normal, gaseous state, carbon dioxide is odorless and colorless (Articles Base). Carbon Dioxide, like most compounds, exists in all three states, liquid, gas, and solid. One special thing about Carbon Dioxide is that it does not change from a solid, to a liquid, and then to a gas like most compounds. Actually, carbon dioxide undergoes sublimation which is where it transforms from a solid, straight to a gas (Science Encyclopedia). These different states of carbon dioxide are used for a great amount of things such as soft drinks, beer, yeast, fire extinguishers, and stage fog. Carbon dioxide is also used for things in the environment like photosynthesis and respiration. Photosynthesis is where plants take in Carbon Dioxide from the air and converts it into food (glucose) and oxygen. Respiration is basically the opposite of photosynthesis. It is where humans and animals take in food and oxygen and releases energy in the form of carbon dioxide (Lenntech). Part of the process of releasing Carbon Dioxide in respiration is called the Krebs Cycle (Encyclopedia of Life Sciences). In addition to respiration, there are other ways of