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carbon dioxide Definition

carbon dioxide

noun

a colorless, odorless, incombustible gas, CO, somewhat heavier than air, that is a product of respiration and combustion: produced commercially and used widely in fire extinguishers, carbonated beverages, etc.: in photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water are absorbed by plants, which synthesize certain carbohydrates and release oxygen into the air

carbon dioxide Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • emit: From 1990 to 1998 the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of GDP or economic growth declined by 11 per cent.
  • absorb: By absorbing carbon dioxide the oceans actually help stave off climate change.
  • produce: In the past 200 years the oceans have absorbed about half of the carbon dioxide produced by humans.
  • dissolve: Boiling the water, which must also be cooled, will remove the dissolved carbon dioxide.
  • remove: Glossary Blood Blood supplies oxygen to the body and removes carbon dioxide.
  • exhale: People exhale carbon dioxide at a level many times higher than background levels in the atmosphere.

Adjective modifier

  • atmospheric: Figure 1. Atmospheric carbon dioxide mirrors plankton growth in inverse relationship.
  • supercritical: Clean technologies, including use of supercritical carbon dioxide in polymer technologies.
  • less: Every ton of freight carried by rail, rather than road, produces at least 80 % less carbon dioxide.
  • more: They will also produce a lot more carbon dioxide which needs to be excreted by the lungs.
  • much: The problem is that we are pumping out twice as much carbon dioxide as these natural systems can remove.

Preposition: into

  • atmosphere: The average house emits 8 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

Modifies a noun

  • emission: Each stove reduces carbon dioxide emissions by around 1.5 tons per year, compared to an open wood fire.
  • concentration: In none of the tests did the carbon dioxide concentration in the body exceed 0.5 % .
  • gas: In fact, the average home emits more harmful carbon dioxide gas than the average car every year.
  • level: An increase in aeration has been shown to reduce carbon dioxide levels.

Preposition: in

  • atmosphere: Burning fuels increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  • air: The majority of the pigs did not show aversion to the presence of 30 per cent carbon dioxide in air.

Preposition: from

  • atmosphere: Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves in the surface waters.
  • air: The seedling makes its own food using water, carbon dioxide from air and light, in a process known as photosynthesis.