Your choice of fuel sources change how carbon dioxide release is counted. Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere have been increasing steadily for several decades. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports the measured atmospheric CO2 levels increased from 318 ppm in 1961 to 392 ppm in 2011.
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/carbon_dioxide_release_what_can_we_do_to_reduce_it
The process of respiration produces energy for organisms by combining glucose with oxygen from the air. During cellular respiration, glucose and oxygen are changed into energy and carbon dioxide. Therefore, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere during the process of cellular respiration. Respiration is also the process by which once-living (organic) organisms are decomposed.
http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes/sources-carbon-dioxide.php
GHG emissions are often measured in carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent. To convert emissions of a gas into CO2 equivalent, its emissions are multiplied by the gas's Global Warming Potential (GWP). The GWP takes into account the fact that many gases are more effective at warming Earth than CO2, per unit mass.
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
Total Emissions in 2014 = 6,870 Million Metric Tons of CO2 equivalent. Larger image to save or print.Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. This section provides information on emissions and removals of the main greenhouse gases to and from the atmosphere.
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
So, where is this carbon dioxide coming from and what can we do about it? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the main human activity that emits CO2 is the combustion of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas and oil) for energy and transportation.
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/carbon_dioxide_release_what_can_we_do_to_reduce_it
: Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement).
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
Burning of Fossil Fuels and Forests. Carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere by human activities. When hydrocarbon fuels (i.e. wood, coal, natural gas, gasoline, and oil) are burned, carbon dioxide is released.
http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes/sources-carbon-dioxide.php
glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy. Respiration is also the process by which once-living (organic) organisms are decomposed. When organisms die, they are decomposed by bacteria. Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere or water during the decomposition process.
http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes/sources-carbon-dioxide.php
Concentration, or abundance, is the amount of a particular gas in the air. Larger emissions of greenhouse gases lead to higher concentrations in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas concentrations are measured in parts per million, parts per billion, and even parts per trillion.
https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
Carbon is stored in the plant while oxygen is released into the air. Crops grown for biomass can be harvested and converted to biofuels and bioelectricity. Burning these fuels returns the carbon back to the atmosphere – where it originated, thus closing the loop.
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/carbon_dioxide_release_what_can_we_do_to_reduce_it
what is carbon released into the atmosphere
Carbon dioxide is carbon released into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the form of carbon when released into the atmosphere. Carbon is released into Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.