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Global warming: how would carbon dioxide affect plants?

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One of the most dramatic environmental changes today is the increase in carbon-dioxide levels in the atmosphere. We usually hear about it in connection with global warming, but that's not the only issue. What effect would increased carbon dioxide have on plants? If more trees are planted, would this stand to have any effect on atmospheric levels? Evaluate with a 200 word essay.

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Solution Summary

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, but also has other effects. In particular an effect on plant growth because of its importance in photosynthesis.

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_What effect would increased carbon dioxide have on plants?_

Carbon dioxide relates to plants and the atmosphere because photosynthesis is where plants 'eat' carbon dioxide. Photosynthesis can be summed up by the chemical equation shown here:

6 CO2(gas) + 12 H2O(liquid) + photons -> C6H12O6(aqueous) + 6 O2(gas) + 6 H2O(liquid)

In other words carbon dioxide + water + energy -> glucose + oxygen + water. You can see that carbon dioxide is on the left hand side of the equation so you may expect, from theory, that photosynthesis will ...

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