Question

We know that the percentage of oxygen in air is decreasing and that of carbon dioxide is increasing. What would happen if this does not stop? What can we do to stop this ?

Answer 1

Percentage of Oxygen in air = 20.9%

• Yes, the percentage of Oxygen is decreasing continuously and Carbon dioxide is increasing because of continuous deforestation and an increase in global warming.
• Plants actually give out Oxygen and consume Carbon dioxide in process of photosynthesis.$\underset{\mathrm{Carbon}\mathrm{dioxide}}{6{\mathrm{CO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{12{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}\underset{\mathrm{chlorophyll}}{\overset{\mathrm{sunlight}}{\to }}\underset{\mathrm{Glucose}}{{\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{6{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{6{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

Global warming

• It is the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere, caused by the increase of certain greenhouse gases like Carbon dioxide (CO₂), Methane (CH₄) etc.
• Global warming is due to deforestation and air pollution.

Effects of increase in Carbon dioxide

• Melting of glaciers which leads to rising sea level.
• Increase in the average temperature of the earth.
• Increase in heat waves.
• Uneven distribution of rain.
• It also results in an increase in the number of diseases.

Steps to control global warming

• Afforestation (planting trees)
• Switching fossil fuels with renewable sources of energy like sunlight, wind etc.
• Reducing Carbon emissions.