Use some simple math to demonstrate the amount of CO2 exhaled by a typical human per year. Please base your calculations upon the burning of 2000-3000 calories per day for 365 days per year. Here is what I suggest you do for a worse case analysis of how much CO2 is emitted from a human breathing per day. A worse case analysis means the most we could reasonably assume. So let's take the upper limit of the amount of Calories burned by the average human - 3,000 Calories/day. Now, the following information and logic to find the amount of Calories burned per person per year:
• Assume that all the Calories burned are from glucose. This is a good assumption, since most of the time, glucose in your blood is used to obtain energy.
• The molecular formula for glucose is C6H12O4. The molecular mass of glucose is therefore 180 g/mole.
• The amount of Calories obtained per gram of glucose is 4 Calories.
• The chemical reaction for glucose with oxygen molecules is:
C6H12O6 + 15 O2 = 6 CO2 + 12 HO2
You should be able to use units and logic to obtain the answer to my question from the information provided above. If you cannot, feel free to ask questions in response to this post in the "Midterm" conference.
Now compare that to the amount to CO2 emitted by the average American who drives 15,000 miles per year on the average American vehicle of 32.6 mpg (U.S. EPA, 2010, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, 2010). You will need to know that burning gasoline releases 19.4 pounds of CO2 per gallon under the conditions of a typical car. Compare the amount emitted by the average American from their car use versus from breathing.