What do we know about carbon dioxide?

Carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) is a gas with a barely perceptible sour taste, which has neither color nor smell. Its concentration in the Earth's atmosphere averages about 0.04%. On the one hand, to maintain life, it is absolutely unfit. And on the other - without carbon dioxide, all the vegetation would simply perish, because it is the "source of nutrition" for plants. In addition, for the Earth, CO ₂ is a sort of blanket. If there was no gas in the atmosphere, our planet would become much cooler, and the rains would cease almost completely.

Blanket of the Earth

The formation of carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide, CO ₂ ) occurs as a result of the combination of its two components: oxygen and carbon. This gas is formed everywhere where combustion of coal or hydrocarbon compounds occurs. It is also released during the fermentation of liquids and as a product of the respiration of animals and humans. To date, the properties of carbon dioxide have been well studied. It is known that this gas is heavier than air and colorless. When combined with water, it forms carbonic acid, which is widely used in all kinds of carbonated beverages.

Why do scientists often say that CO ₂ is the blanket of our planet? The fact is that carbon dioxide freely passes the ultraviolet rays coming to us from space , and reflects the infrared waves radiated by the Earth. Therefore, the sudden disappearance of this gas from the atmosphere would primarily affect the climate. However, the probability of such a catastrophe is practically zero, since the burning of wood, natural gas, coal and oil gradually increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. And now we should not fear so much cold weather, as mass melting at the poles of glaciers and increasing the level of the World Ocean ...

Dry ice

In the liquid state, this gas is stored in high-pressure cylinders (about 70 Atm). If you open the valve of such a steel vessel, snow will begin to break out of the hole .... What kind of miracles? This fact is explained quite simply. When carbon dioxide is compressed, work is expended, which in its size is much less than that necessary for its expansion. To compensate for the emerging deficit, CO _{2 is} sharply cooled and turns into "dry ice". Compared with conventional ice, it has a number of serious advantages: firstly, its evaporation occurs completely, without the formation of residues. And secondly, the "cooling capacity" of dry ice per unit weight is twice that.

Application

Carbon dioxide is often used as an inert medium when welding with wire. However, at high temperatures, its decomposition takes place with the release of oxygen-oxidizing oxygen. Therefore, in the welding wire add deoxidants, such as silicon and manganese. Carbon dioxide in cans is widely used in pneumatic weapons and in aeromodelling. Liquid gas is used as a fire extinguisher and for making lemonade and soda. In addition, carbon dioxide CO2 is also used as a food additive (code E290). And as a well-known means for loosening the dough. In addition, carbon dioxide solid is widely used for the preservation of food products.