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Way2Foxy t1_j9qevw0 wrote

Reply to comment by furtherdimensions in eli5: Since CO2 is increasing in the atmosphere, does that mean O2 or other gases are decreasing ? by Ok_Gas_6560

well that's not how combustion works

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furtherdimensions t1_j9qg0cv wrote

...what? were you under the impression clouds are just big fluffy white pieces of coal?

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Way2Foxy t1_j9qjb4g wrote

Where are you supposing we source most of that O2 in CO2?

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furtherdimensions t1_j9qnqep wrote

....so oxygen bonds to carbon and releases energy and co2. We took oxygen, added carbon that was stored in physical matter, and released it as co2. So oxygen was removed, bonded with carbon, and released back into the atmosphere this time with added carbon.

So the net amount of oxygen atoms remains the same but we've now added carbon.

The carbon is "stuff". We've taken away no net oxygen atoms and we've added carbon.

You understand that 1-1+1+2 is the same as 1+2 right? Am I assuming correctly that this is at least something you get? Do I need to slow down?

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konwiddak t1_j9r6hx6 wrote

The CO2 weighs more but has the same volume as the O2 it replaced. However you've missed the face we've also burned a bunch of hydrogen since almost everything we burn is a hydrocarbon. This produces water (H2O) which precipitates out of the atmosphere with a net result of depleting the amount of oxygen atoms in the air. (See my longer answer).

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