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carbon emissions (weight??)

  • 18-07-2010 11:33AM
    #1
    whitts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭


    how is carbon emissions measured e.g. if you used 1 tonne of carbon emissions driving from dublin to cork etc.

    how the hell do they measure emissions in tonnes, as tonnes is a weight???
    just very curious!:D


Comments

  • #2
    whitts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭whitts


    ......


  • #3
    fits
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 14,243 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Gases (such as CO2) have mass. You can calculate the mass emitted if you know the chemical reaction and how much fuel was used.

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  • #4
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 95,842 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    at a first approximation the chemical formula for petrol and diesel is CH2 molecular weight is 12 14

    when burnt it produces CO2 molecular weight is 36 44

    so very roughly every Kg of liquid / solid fossil fuel produces about 3 4Kg of carbon dioxide


  • #5
    Heroditas
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,737 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    at a first approximation the chemical formula for petrol and diesel is CH2 molecular weight is 12

    when burnt it produces CO2 molecular weight is 36

    so very roughly every Kg of liquid / solid fossil fuel produces about 3Kg of carbon dioxide

    Carbon's molecular weight is 12
    Oxygen's weight is 16
    Therefore the molecular weight of CO2 is 44, not 36

    Petrol is typically octane so C8H18

    2 C8H18 + 25 O2 -> 16 CO2 + 18 H2O


  • #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 95,842 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Heroditas wrote: »
    Carbon's molecular weight is 12
    Oxygen's weight is 16
    Therefore the molecular weight of CO2 is 44, not 36

    Petrol is typically octane so C8H18

    2 C8H18 + 25 O2 -> 16 CO2 + 18 H2O
    :o LOL

    guess I had the dumb


    no wait , the wheel fell off my abacus


    mentions carbons weight is atomic (as if that would negate all the fail)


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  • #7
    whitts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭whitts


    thats wierd isnt it!!!.. so but u see the base feul, how come a pint of petrol can devolop 4 times as much weight as a carbon.?...


  • #8
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 95,842 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    whitts wrote: »
    thats wierd isnt it!!!.. so but u see the base feul, how come a pint of petrol can devolop 4 times as much weight as a carbon.?...
    That's nothing

    Hydrogen produces 9 times it's weight in water vapour. And Water vapor is the main green house gas, if you include the clouds it forms then it's responsible for over 70% of the effect.

    Then again it's only got an average residence in the atmosphere of a week or two


  • #9
    whitts
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭whitts


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    That's nothing

    Hydrogen produces 9 times it's weight in water vapour. And Water vapor is the main green house gas, if you include the clouds it forms then it's responsible for over 70% of the effect.

    Then again it's only got an average residence in the atmosphere of a week or two

    totaly lost now, its ok i get the idea!...

    many thanks u guys!! ;)


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