Term: Carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula CO₂. It is made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature, and as the source of available carbon in the carbon cycle, atmospheric CO₂ is the primary carbon source for life on Earth. In the air, carbon dioxide is transparent to visible light but absorbs infrared radiation, acting as a greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is soluble in water and is found in groundwater, lakes, ice caps, and seawater. When carbon dioxide dissolves in water, it forms carbonate and mainly bicarbonate (HCO−3), which causes ocean acidification as atmospheric CO₂ levels increase.

Carbon dioxide

Names
IUPAC name Carbon dioxide
Other names Carbonic acid gas Carbonic anhydride Carbonic dioxide Carbonic oxide Carbon(IV) oxide Methanedione R-744 (refrigerant) R744 (refrigerant alternative spelling) Dry ice (solid phase)
Identifiers
CAS Number	124-38-9 Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image Interactive image
3DMet	B01131
Beilstein Reference	1900390
ChEBI	CHEBI:16526 Y
ChEMBL	ChEMBL1231871 N
ChemSpider	274 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.004.271
EC Number	204-696-9
E number	E290 (preservatives)
Gmelin Reference	989
KEGG	D00004 Y
MeSH	Carbon+dioxide
PubChem CID	280
RTECS number	FF6400000
UNII	142M471B3J Y
UN number	1013 (gas), 1845 (solid)
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID4027028
InChI InChI=1S/CO2/c2-1-3 Y Key: CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y InChI=1/CO2/c2-1-3 Key: CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYAO
SMILES O=C=O C(=O)=O
Properties
Chemical formula	CO2
Molar mass	44.009 g·mol−1
Appearance	Colorless gas
Odor	Low concentrations: none High concentrations: sharp; acidic
Density	1562 kg/m3 (solid at 1 atm (100 kPa) and −78.5 °C (−109.3 °F)) 1101 kg/m3 (liquid at saturation −37 °C (−35 °F)) 1.977 kg/m3 (gas at 1 atm (100 kPa) and 0 °C (32 °F))
Critical point (T, P)	304.128(15) K (30.978(15) °C), 7.3773(30) MPa (72.808(30) atm)
Sublimation conditions	194.6855(30) K (−78.4645(30) °C) at 1 atm (0.101325 MPa)
Solubility in water	1.45 g/L at 25 °C (77 °F), 100 kPa (0.99 atm)
Vapor pressure	5.7292(30) MPa, 56.54(30) atm (20 °C (293.15 K))
Acidity (pKa)	Carbonic acid: pKa1 = 3.6 pKa1(apparent) = 6.35 pKa2 = 10.33
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	−20.5·10−6 cm3/mol
Thermal conductivity	0.01662 W·m−1·K−1 (300 K (27 °C; 80 °F))
Refractive index (nD)	1.00045
Viscosity	14.90 μPa·s at 25 °C (298 K) 70 μPa·s at −78.5 °C (194.7 K)
Dipole moment	0 D
Structure
Crystal structure	Trigonal
Molecular shape	Linear
Thermochemistry
Heat capacity (C)	37.135 J/(K·mol)
Std molar entropy (S⦵298)	214 J·mol−1·K−1
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−393.5 kJ·mol−1
Pharmacology
ATC code	V03AN02 (WHO)
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	2 0 0 SA
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
LCLo (lowest published)	90,000 ppm (162,000 mg/m3) (human, 5 min)
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)	TWA 5000 ppm (9000 mg/m3)
REL (Recommended)	TWA 5000 ppm (9000 mg/m3), ST 30,000 ppm (54,000 mg/m3)
IDLH (Immediate danger)	40,000 ppm (72,000 mg/m3)
Safety data sheet (SDS)	Sigma-Aldrich
Related compounds
Other anions	Carbon disulfide Carbon diselenide Carbon ditelluride
Other cations	Silicon dioxide Germanium dioxide Tin dioxide Lead dioxide Titanium dioxide Zirconium dioxide Hafnium dioxide Cerium dioxide Thorium dioxide
Related carbon oxides	See Oxocarbon
Related compounds	Carbonic acid Carbonyl sulfide Carbonyl selenide
Supplementary data page
Carbon dioxide (data page)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). N verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

It is a trace gas in Earth's atmosphere at 421 parts per million (ppm), or about 0.04% (as of May 2022) having risen from pre-industrial levels of 280 ppm or about 0.025%. Burning fossil fuels is the primary cause of these increased CO₂ concentrations and also the primary cause of climate change.

Its concentration in Earth's pre-industrial atmosphere since late in the Precambrian was regulated by organisms and geological phenomena. Plants, algae and cyanobacteria use energy from sunlight to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in a process called photosynthesis, which produces oxygen as a waste product. In turn, oxygen is consumed and CO₂ is released as waste by all aerobic organisms when they metabolize organic compounds to produce energy by respiration. CO₂ is released from organic materials when they decay or combust, such as in forest fires. Since plants require CO₂ for photosynthesis, and humans and animals depend on plants for food, CO₂ is necessary for the survival of life on earth.

Carbon dioxide is 53% more dense than dry air, but is long lived and thoroughly mixes in the atmosphere. About half of excess CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere are absorbed by land and ocean carbon sinks. These sinks can become saturated and are volatile, as decay and wildfires result in the CO₂ being released back into the atmosphere. CO₂ is eventually sequestered (stored for the long term) in rocks and organic deposits like coal, petroleum and natural gas. Sequestered CO₂ is released into the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels or naturally by volcanoes, hot springs, geysers, and when carbonate rocks dissolve in water or react with acids.

CO₂ is a versatile industrial material, used, for example, as an inert gas in welding and fire extinguishers, as a pressurizing gas in air guns and oil recovery, and as a supercritical fluid solvent in decaffeination and supercritical drying. It is a byproduct of fermentation of sugars in bread, beer and wine making, and is added to carbonated beverages like seltzer and beer for effervescence. It has a sharp and acidic odor and generates the taste of soda water in the mouth, but at normally encountered concentrations it is odorless.