Consider a simple mass balance model where 100 CO2 molecules are released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. Half of these molecules are immediately absorbed by the terrestrial biosphere and ocean: fraction f goes to the biosphere and fraction 1-f dissolves into the ocean. Assume fossil fuel combustion consumes 1.4 molecules of O2 for every molecule of CO2 produces and photosynthesis produces 1.1 molecules of O2 for every molecule of CO2 consumed. If the observed change in oxygen is a decrease of 110 molecules, what fraction of the CO2 was absorbed by the ocean.
Thermochemistry
Thermochemistry can be considered as a branch of thermodynamics that deals with the connections between warmth, work, and various types of energy, formed because of different synthetic and actual cycles. Thermochemistry describes the energy changes that occur as a result of reactions or chemical changes in a substance.
Exergonic Reaction
The term exergonic is derived from the Greek word in which ‘ergon’ means work and exergonic means ‘work outside’. Exergonic reactions releases work energy. Exergonic reactions are different from exothermic reactions, the one that releases only heat energy during the course of the reaction. So, exothermic reaction is one type of exergonic reaction. Exergonic reaction releases work energy in different forms like heat, light or sound. For example, a glow stick releases light making that an exergonic reaction and not an exothermic reaction since no heat is released. Even endothermic reactions at very high temperature are exergonic.
Consider a simple mass balance model where 100 CO2 molecules are released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels. Half of these molecules are immediately absorbed by the terrestrial biosphere and ocean: fraction f goes to the biosphere and fraction 1-f dissolves into the ocean. Assume fossil fuel combustion consumes 1.4 molecules of O2 for every molecule of CO2 produces and photosynthesis produces 1.1 molecules of O2 for every molecule of CO2 consumed.
If the observed change in oxygen is a decrease of 110 molecules, what fraction of the CO2 was absorbed by the ocean.
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