[Terrapreta] Atmospheric CO2 Hits 387ppm

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Folke,

Cool statistic!  2.12 Gt of Carbon (2.12E15 grams) is equivalent to 1 ppm of the atmosphere?

>From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air> ... the atmosphere is estimated to weigh 5.1361E18 kg = 5.1361E21 grams

Dry air (without H2O) in the atmosphere contains ~78% Nitrogen gas-N2, ~21% Oxygen gas-O2, ~0.93% Argon, a noble gas-Ar, 0.0387% Carbon dioxide-CO2, and trace others.

Nitrogen gas-N2 weighs 14 + 14 = 28 grams/mole,             0.78 * 28       = 21.864
Oxygen gas-O2 weighs 16 + 16 = 28 grams/mole,              0.21 * 32       =   6.704
Argon gas-Ar weighs 40 grams/mole,                               0.0093 * 40    =   0.374
Carbon dioxide-CO2 weighs 12 + 16 + 16 = 44 grams/mole, 0.000387 * 44 =   0.017

Then, the average molar weight of Dry Air,                                          = 28.958 grams/mole

So, 5.1361E21 grams / 28.958 grams/mole = ~1.774E20 moles of atmospheric molecules

1 ppm is 1.774E20/1E6 = 1.774E14 moles of atmospheric molecules

All the Carbon atoms in a mole of Carbon dioxide-CO2 weighs 12 grams, and 1.774E14 moles * 12 grams/mole = 2.12E15 grams = 2.12 Gt

QED

For giggles, one could derive an estimate for the mass of the atmosphere from 1 ppm = 2.12 Gt Carbon and atmospheric CO2 concentrations have reached 387 ppmv.

Regards,

SKB




  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: folke Günther<mailto:folkeg at gmail.com> 
  To: David Yarrow<mailto:dyarrow at nycap.rr.com> 
  Cc: terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> ; Exergigruppen<mailto:exergigruppen at exergigruppen-sigtuna.se> 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 4:47 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Atmospheric CO2 Hits 387ppm


  OK. what do you expect? It was 385 in the end of last year. We emit about 8 Gt C each year. One ppm is 2.12 Gt C. 
  Thus, an increase of 3-4 ppm each year seems just to be expected.
  FG


  2008/5/13 David Yarrow <dyarrow at nycap.rr.com<mailto:dyarrow at nycap.rr.com>>:

    Atmospheric CO2 Hits 387 Parts Per Million<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=2Tn1GU7KSUrl4OiZ5CB9bPjPNTy3Cdw%2F>

    Metro (UK), May 13, 2008

    http://www.metro.co.uk/news/climatewatch/article.html?in_article_id=147343&in_page_id=59<http://www.metro.co.uk/news/climatewatch/article.html?in_article_id=147343&in_page_id=59>

    "[Scientists at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii announced that] the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached its highest level in human history... pouring into the sky even faster than it did during the second half of the previous century. There are now 387 parts per million of CO2 in the air, the highest figure for 650,000 years... [and] just a few years from what many scientists regard as the tipping point of 400ppm. 

    This raises renewed concerns over the Earth's diminishing ability to soak up pollution and means targets for cutting emissions need to be revised drastically... Last year, the rise was 2.14ppm, while from 1970 to 2000 the concentration rose by an average of about 1.5ppm each year... 

    Prof Andrew Watson, from the University of East Anglia, said up to 30% of the rise could be [attributed] to the weakening of the Earth's natural carbon sinks -- the oceans and rainforests." 


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