Carbon dioxide
Revision as of 06:03, 11 April 2019 by Michel Lamontagne (talk | contribs)
Carbon dioxide[1] (chemical formula: CO2) is a chemical substance that occupies about 96 % of Mars's atmosphere.
Molar Mass of 12(C)+32(O2)=44
Biological significance
The metabolism of human beings, animals and various microbes depends on the oxidation of carbohydrates, resulting in carbon dioxide and water exhalation. Plants use the carbon from carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates and release the oxygen back to the atmosphere, completing the cycle.
- The reaction is: CO2(carbon dioxide) + 2H2O (water) + photons (light energy) → C(n)H2O(m) (carbohydrate) + O2(oxygen)+ H2O (water)[2]
Uses
- Photosynthesis by plants in greenhouses to create carbohydrates for plant metabolism.
- Synthetic materials, hydrocarbons using the Fischer Tropsch reaction process.
- Propellant production. Methane (CH4) and Oxygen (O2), through ISRU using the Sabatier process. The hydrogen comes from Electrolysis of water or is brought from Earth.
- Carbon using the Bosch reaction process. The Bosch reaction consumes hydrogen to produce carbon and water. The hydrogen can come from electrolysis of water.
