The Environmental Issues Raised by the Disturbance of the Natural Balance in the Level of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

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The Environmental Issues Raised by the Disturbance of the Natural Balance in the Level of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

In this essay I will be discussing what the Natural Balance is and

what affect this is having on the Carbon Cycle. The balance between

Photosynthesis and Respiration. The three main problem affecting the

level of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide; Deforestation, World Population

and Burning Fossil Fuels.

The Natural Balance is the Balance between photosynthesis and

Respiration. Photosynthesis is when plants use the energy from the sun

to produce food for all animals and then turn it into glucose.

Animal’s use this energy in respiration to live and grow without it

all animals would die. The glucose is used to make sugars from the

gas called Carbon Dioxide (CO2).

Respiration is the process in which energy is released from plants.

In respiration Glucose and Oxygen molecules are broken down to give

Carbon Dioxide and water. We know that the atmosphere exchanges

Carbon. Plants absorb Carbon Dioxide in Photosynthesis and release

Carbon Dioxide back into the atmosphere during Respiration.

All living things need to respire. This process is the natural balance

that god created that the amount of Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen in the

atmosphere remain constant. But because of the factors that I will

mention later, the content of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere is

increasing and it is more then it should be.

The main source of carbon is carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

In nature, there is a balance between the amount of CO2 absorbed by

plants in photosynthesis and the amount returned to the atmosphere by

respiration of living organisms. Man's burning of fossil fuels can

upset this balance.

The Carbon Cycle is the most important cycle in which Carbon Dioxide

circulate between all living and non- living things in the

environment. Carbon dioxide forms 0.04 per cent of the atmosphere and

is used by plants for photosynthesis, during which they 'lock' carbon

into carbohydrates. These compounds can be stored by the plant or used

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