(above) carbon dioxide image # 1: picture showing carbon dioxide molecules in a gas on a black background. This image is 500 x 500 pixels; the original image is 2048 x 2048 pixels.
In each molecule, the central carbon atom (light grey) is pictured as a sphere drawn at the scale of the carbon covalent radius just touching two oxygen atoms (red) drawn at the scale of their covalent radii. The purple halo represents the "surface" of each molecule and is created from the van der Waals radii of the constituent atoms.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions are considered a major threat to the Earth because of their capacity modify the climate by insulating the surface and so creating a GREENHOUSE EFFECT. The glow at the bottom of the image represents the burning of fossil fuels which is a major cause of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. There is a major debate about the future sources of energy in Australia as nuclear power is compared with fossil fuels such as coal in an attempt to prevent global warming.
(above) carbon dioxide image # 2: picture showing carbon dioxide molecules in a gas on a pale green-blue background. This image is 500 x 500 pixels; the original image is 2048 x 2048 pixels.
In each molecule, the central carbon atom (dark grey) is pictured as a sphere drawn at the scale of the carbon covalent radius just touching two oxygen atoms (red) drawn at the scale of their covalent radii. The purple halo represents the "surface" of each molecule and is created from the van der Waals radii of the constituent atoms.
EXPLANATION OF CARBON DIOXIDE IMAGES
CARBON DIOXIDE MOLECULE KEY:
- grey spheres = carbon (C)
- red spheres = oxygen (O)
- purple bubble = "surface" of the molecule created from the individual van der Waals surfaces
Carbon Dioxide the gas: carbon dioxide consists of two oxygen atoms covalently joined to a central carbon atom. The three atoms lie in a line (it is a linear molecule). All of these images are pictures of highly simplified models.
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LINKS TO MAJOR GREENHOUSE GAS MOLECULAR IMAGES:
