Anker
Carbon dioxide is an important chemical compound
for the earth and life on earth.
Occurrence of CO
2
:
- in the air
as a gas
- in water - dissolved as a gas - as carbonic acid Hydrogencarbonat-Ion Carbonat-Ion - in rock as carbonate
CO
2
forms the link
between the material world and the living world,
between inorganic and organic, between stone and plant
= Anhydride of carbonic acid
Carbon(IV) oxide
Carbonic acid gas
Carbon dioxide
Dioxomethane
Equivalent designations
Importance of CO
2
The Importance of carbon dioxide for the earth and humans
CO
2
• is building block for life through conversion into organic matter • is the main nutrient for plants, both on land and in water • is part of the carbon cycle • influences the climate as a greenhouse gas • is involved in the earth's crust in the form of carbonates as mineral formers • promotes weathering as a water constituent • significantly influences the properties of a water • is often a problem for drinking water quality • often makes water treatment necessary • is the engine for cold water geysers • can cause death at high concentrations in the air
Figure: Occurrence of CO
2
Figure: CO
2
as a link between the inorganic and organic worlds
Figure: Different formulaic representations of carbon dioxide
CO
2
occurs everywhere on earth, usually as a gas in the air and in water, but also
in converted form as carbonic acid, hydrogen carbonate and carbonate dissolved
in water or precipitated as carbonate (primarily lime) in sediment and rock.
Humans are part of this cycle - they feed on biomass (food) and break it
down into CO
2
to generate energy. We exhale this CO
2
through our lungs.