CO2
CO2
CO2 (pronounced as C-O-Two), also known as Carbon Dioxide, is a colorless and odorless gas vital to life on Earth.
Etymology
The term "CO2" is derived from the chemical notation for Carbon Dioxide. In this notation, "C" stands for Carbon and "O2" represents two atoms of Oxygen.
Definition
CO2 is a greenhouse gas that is naturally present in the Earth's atmosphere as part of the Earth's carbon cycle (the natural circulation of carbon among the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and animals).
Properties
CO2 is used by plants during photosynthesis to make sugars which can either be consumed in respiration or used as the raw material to produce other organic compounds. In humans and other animals, it is a waste product from the metabolism of food into energy, which is then exhaled.
Medical Relevance
In medicine, CO2 levels in the body are important. Too much or too little CO2 in the body can indicate a variety of medical conditions. For example, high levels of CO2 could indicate hypercapnia, while low levels could indicate hypocapnia.
Related Terms
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on CO2
- Wikipedia's article - CO2
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski