Question

During the 1980s, the average emission of carbon from burning fossil fuels on Earth was 5.403 petagrams (Pg) of carbon per year in the form of CO2.

(a) How many kg of C were placed in the atmosphere each year? kg

(b) How many kg of CO2 were placed in the atmosphere each year? kg

(c) A metric ton is 1000 kg. How many metric tons of CO2 were placed in the atmosphere each year? metric tons / year

If there were 5 billion people on Earth, how many tons of CO2 were produced for each person?

Answer 1

(a) It is given that

5.403 petagrams of carbon per year

5.403*10¹² kg of carbon per year in the form of CO2               ( 1 petagram = 1*10¹² kg)

(b) 1 mol C = 1 mol CO₂

12 g. C = 44 g. CO₂

0.012 kg of C = 0.044 kg of CO₂

Then, 5.403*10¹² kg. of C = 5.403*10¹²*0.044 / 0.012 = 1.9811*10¹³ kg of CO₂

(c) 1000 kg = 1 metric tons

Then, 1.9811 * 10¹³ kg Of CO₂ = 1.9811*10¹³ / 1000 = 1.9811 * 10¹⁰ metric tons/year of CO₂

(d) 5 billion people = 1.9811 * 10¹⁰ metric tons of CO₂

5*10⁹ people = 1.9811 * 10¹⁰ metric tons of CO₂

Then, Each person = 1.9811 * 10¹⁰ / (5*10⁹) = 3.96 metric tons of CO₂ is produced for each person