Carbon+Dioxide+-+The+Greenhouse+Gas


 * __By Jasper__ **

Global Warming - we've all heard about it and most of us believe that the leading cause of this are greenhouse gases. Carbon Dioxide is one these gases and the point of this is to find out how this compound's structure is a threat to Earth's future.

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Carbon Dioxide consists of one carbon atom with an oxygen atom bonded to each side. ( O = C = O ) Because of oxygen’s and carbon’s **electronegativities**, the **polar covalent** compound formed will be a **London Dispersion** with a dipole moment of 0 which means that the atoms are bonded tightly but loosely enough for the compound to absorb infrared radiation and the molecule will start to vibrate. Then the vibrating molecule will eventually emit radiation again and will probably be absorbed by another Carbon Dioxide or greenhouse gas molecule. (See animation below) So this process will basically cycle again and again.

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Sources: Lerner, Brenda. "Carbon Dioxide (CO2)." //Climate Change// 2008: p152-154. Web. 16 Nov 2009. < [] >. Lerner, Brenda. "Carbon Dioxide (CO2)." //Environmental Science// 2009: 83-84. Web. 16 Nov 2009. < [] >.