Re: [Phys-l] Climate Change - Is it Controversial?

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

But the problem is not the amount of carbon on earth, it is the amount of 
carbon that has combined with oxygen.  Early earth had essentially no 
oxygen.  After life formed, the atmosphere (and climate) changed 
drastically, partially due to the CO2 in the atmosphere.  The industrial 
revolution greatly accelerated this trend.
	That is why your question is irrelevant.  Yes, the amount of 
carbon on earth is conserved, but the amount in the form of CO2 is not.
					Regards,
						Jack

On Tue, 10 Mar 2009, Robert Carlson wrote:

> It matters to me as to the conservation of carbon on Earth and to how it dances between lifeforms and elemental carbon or other other forms.  If we say the amount of carbon on Earth has stayed fairly constant over the last billion years, then some of this carbon has been in the form of life (L) and some of it has been in the form of nonlife (N).  So, how has this ratio changed over the history of the Earth and is L/N now greater, less than, or equal to previous history?  If you can answer this question, then you can probably state whether global warming is a good thing or a bad thing conserning the overall life on Earth.  Of course, some on the coasts would consider any Earth warming a bad thing.  Is this politics or science?
>
>
> --- On Tue, 3/10/09, David Appell <appell@nasw.org> wrote:
>
> > From: David Appell <appell@nasw.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Climate Change - Is it Controversial?
> > To: phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> > Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 7:44 PM
> > Robert Carlson wrote:
> > > So please indulge me with an answer whether you think
> > it is irrelevant
> > > or not.  Are they from previous lifeforms or simply
> > elemental carbon?
> >
> > Again, it does not matter.
> >
> > Clearly you think you have some point that is ha-ha clever
> > aren't-you-brilliant to bring up, but it is totally
> > irrelevant to the
> > argument and therefore ignored. Grow up, please.
> >
> > David
> >
> >
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