As the oxygen inside the test tube is replaced with water due to the oxidation of the iron, water will begin to rise inside the test tube. It is possible to determine the amount of water volume and translate it into an equation that approximates the amount of O 2 in the atmosphere. Pages 54-56 Second only to water vapor, carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas. It has increased from 280 ppm in the 1800's to 360 ppm currently. It is expected to rise to well over 600 ppm in the next 50 years, according to several models.
Carbon dioxide has a warming effect on the earth's environment.
Carbon is the primary component of fossil fuels. When they are burned, carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The oceans are a vast carbon sink with phytoplankton as its primary storehouse. Global warming could offset the balance of the carbon cycle and cause increased carbon dioxide production. Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation from the sun and prevents it from returning to space.