Burning hydrocarbons will suffocate us.

[brian334]

Mr. Rat,
I agree that increased levels of CO2 increases photosynthesis, the problem is there is less green stuff on earth to do the photosynthesis. The result of cutting trees and burning hydrocarbons is increased levels of CO2 and decreased levels of O2 in the atmosphere.
If your theory is correct than O2 levels should be increasing. Are they?

[ResinRat2]

Hello Brian,

Another factor to consider is that the oceans and bodies of water on earth all store Carbon Dioxide through its solubility in water. All these bodies of water act like a large storage tank. This storage tank is under the influence of average global temperatures. As the global temperatures rise, the solubility of carbon dioxide gas falls, so it is ejected from the water storage. This, by itself, increases the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Now as to the cause of global temperature rise, that is where the big debate rages. One side says it is caused by human use of hydrocarbons. The other side says the more active the sun, the higher the average global temperature will be. Both sides throw out graphs to try to prove their point. Either way, the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere will rise. So your question leaves out that factor as well. Remember that the increase in plant growth applies to all living plants all over the globe. That means all these plants will respond and begin to increase their output of oxygen. So there will be a delay there as well.

I would say, if you ask my opinion, that as the global carbon dioxide levels begin to rise, all the plants and algae on the earth will start to increase their output of oxygen. This will cause a rise in oxygen levels, but not until after the carbon dioxide levels rise first to stimulate the growth of existing plant and algae life.

Of course, that is just my opinion.

RR2

[brian334]

Mr. Rat,
Global warming does not have anything with this post.
This is about the O2 content of the atmosphere. More people and our domesticated animals sucking O2 out of the atmosphere and burning large amounts of hydrocarbons, combined with less green stuff is reducing the O2 content of the atmosphere. And as the number of people increases it will escalate the problem.

[ResinRat2]

I merely brought up global warming because it will encourage the growth rate of plants and also cause the carbon dioxide in the oceans to be released into the atmosphere.  Both conditions will increase the growth rate of plants and encourage the production of oxygen. If you can't see that then I think all you are looking for is an argument to fulfill your ego. I won't play along.

In Chemistry all two way chemical reactions can be looked at as an Equilibrium. It is the conditions of pressure, temperature, and concentrations that determine which direction is favored in a reaction. This is the way I look at the Carbon cycle that occurs between the plant and animal life that exists on this planet. I don't have to explain the cycle, everyone with a little learning knows it. It is an equilibrium that is driven by the energy of the sun.

In chemical equilibrium reactions, when a stress is put on the system, it shifts the production of the cycle from one direction to the other to relieve that stress. If one component in the reaction becomes too abundant, the reaction shifts the other way to use up the abundant component and restore equilibrium. This is how the cycle works and this is how I look at it. Higher Carbon Dioxide levels will encourage the cycle to produce more oxygen and shift the cycle back the other way.

Obviously you think all the oxygen will be used up and we will all die. I disagree, so we can agree to disagree.

[brian334]

Post your proof the O2 level in the atmosphere is increasing.