carbon dioxiden.

Brit.

/ˌkɑːbən dʌɪˈɒksʌɪd/, U.S.

/ˌkɑrbən daɪˈɑkˌsaɪd/

Forms: see carbon n. and dioxide n.

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: carbon n., dioxide n.

Etymology: < carbon n. + dioxide n. Compare slightly earlier carbonic dioxide n. at carbonic adj. and n. Compounds. Compare also carbon monoxide n.

A colourless, odourless gas produced by the burning of organic compounds and fossil fuels, by the processes of respiration and decomposition, and by volcanic activity, and absorbed by plants during photosynthesis; formerly called carbonic acid gas, carbonic anhydride. See also carbon cycle n. 1.Formula: CO₂. Carbon dioxide is naturally present in air (about 0.03 per cent) and is slightly soluble in water to form a weakly acidic solution (carbonic acid). It can be solidified by cooling, the solid (dry ice) subliming into gas at -78.5°C.The increasing quantity of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels is widely believed to augment the greenhouse effect and lead to global warming.

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the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > specific elements > carbon > [noun] > compounds

carbonic acid1788

carburet1788

carbure1789

carbonic acid snow1841

carbidec1865

carbon dioxide1867

champagne gas1871

carbon dioxide snow1897

methanide1924

methide1965

carbon1977

1867 Proc. Royal Soc. 16 222 Vanadium pentoxide fused with sodium carbonate displaces three molecules of carbon dioxide.

1881 S. W. Johnson tr. C. R. Fresenius Man. Qualitative Chem. Anal. (new ed.) 222 Carbon dioxide is readily absorbed by solution of soda forming a carbonate.

1915 New Phytologist 14 241 One of the chief elements thus built up into the plant is carbon, which is provided by the carbon dioxide of the air.

1934 A. H. R. Goldie Abercromby's Weather (rev. ed.) iii. 65 Other gases present in the atmosphere in very small quantities, namely, carbon dioxide and ozone, are important absorbents of certain kinds of radiation.

1971 T. Murphy Whistle in Dark i. 23 The trees give it out at night. The carbon dioxide. Tid [= it would] poison you.

1978 M. Perutz in I wish I'd made you Angry Earlier (2002) 258 The oxygen generates chemical energy by the combustion of glucose to carbon dioxide and water.

1990 Planet 82 Aug.–Sept. 49 The first long-term monitoring station for carbon dioxide..was set up at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

1999 M.T. Myambo Deciduous Gazettes in Y. Vera Opening Spaces 33 She sits in her car the entire night,..fogging up the windows and breathing in her own carbon dioxide.

2000 N.Y. Times 6 Apr. a27 (advt.) Other research seeks ways to capture and store carbon dioxide emitted during the use of fossil fuels.

Compounds

carbon dioxide snow n. carbon dioxide solidified by cooling; dry ice, esp. in the form of soft snowlike flakes; cf. earlier carbonic snow n. at carbonic adj. and n. Compounds.

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