<p>I thought they where always present. Methane has a higher effect on Earth? When the carbon dioxide is high enough it will eventually warm the Methane to melt at the poles which then would cause the bulk cloud cover triggering an ice age which then freezes the carbon dioxide and methane again. Methane takes for longer to be absorbed by the ocean and Earth like carbon dioxide. The Earth cannot get to hot or cold because of the balance of the 2 molecules and their role in weather. Plants absorb some carbon dioxide which helps balance this.   </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-12T20:04:31.170Z
2019-04-12T20:04:31.170Z
Muze
<p>The answer is <strong>Volcanos</strong>. There might be other inorganic processes capable to produce $\text{CO}_2$, but on Earth, the main inorganic source of $\text{CO}_2$ are volcanoes.</p>

<p>In some period of Earth's history, there is evidence of large glaciations events, some of them are thought to have been triggered by the lack of $\text{CO}_2$ (like the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_Earth" rel="noreferrer">Snowball Earth</a> and Permo-carboniferous glaciations), and volcanoes are with no doubt the main candidate to have been responsible of restoring the warm climate by feeding large amounts of $\text{CO}_2$ into the atmosphere over millions of years.</p>

<p>$\text{CO}_2$ is an important component of rocky planets, but it is mostly dissolved (in large quantities) in the magma that exist (or once existed) in the interior of such planets. However, when the magma rises close to the surface, the drop in pressure reduce the solubility of $\text{CO}_2$ and it form bubbles of gaseous $\text{CO}_2$, that can then be expelled into the atmosphere trough volcanic eruptions, that in addition to teprha, and rocks include large amounts of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_gas" rel="noreferrer">volcanic gases</a> of which $\text{CO}_2$ is one of the main components.
Probably that process of exsolution of $\text{CO}_2$ from hot molten rocks was happening even before the existence of volcanoes as we know them.</p>

<p>The same process happened once in Mars and Venus, whose atmospheres are composed mostly by $\text{CO}_2$ (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars#Atmosphere" rel="noreferrer">96%</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Atmosphere_and_climate" rel="noreferrer">96.5%</a> respectively), suggesting that abundant $\text{CO}_2$ was also present in the early Earth's atmosphere.</p>

<p>Currently, it is estimated that volcanoes input to the atmosphere about 100 million tons of carbon in average per year in the form of $\text{CO}_2$, as illustrated by this NASA figure of the Carbon cycle:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/pR1vq.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/pR1vq.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
(Originally from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/globe-workshop.html" rel="noreferrer">here</a>)</p>

<p>You can see that many processes move carbon around, but the main reservoir by far is the crust, and that reservoir is tiny compared with all the $\text{CO}_2$ stored deeper in the Earth's interior.</p>

<p>Finally, in addition to be required by photosynthesis, $\text{CO}_2$ is part of the Earth's thermostat, that together with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonate%E2%80%93silicate_cycle" rel="noreferrer">silicate weathering</a> have been key to keep the Earth's temperature in the range of liquid water. Arguably another very important need for the existence of life as we know it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-07T00:59:16.813Z
@CamiloRada we have the \ce{} tag for chemical equation markup. See the edit I did on the first reaction in the original question. Makes it a whole lot easier. Now you know :)
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-27T20:40:22.093Z
Thank you very much for your reply.
You mentioned: "CO2 is an important component of rocky planets, but it is mostly dissolved (in large quantities) in the magma that exist (or once existed) in the interior of such planets."
Perhaps a silly question, but how is the CO2 than actually formed by itself on these rocky planets, just: C + O2 --> CO2 (with the right temperature and pressure?). This must be an inorganic proces.
Marcel Plan B
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-27T21:43:15.750Z
I don't know what was exactly the process that lead to the production of CO2. But I undesrstand there was already some CO2 in the solar nebula before the formation of the sun and the planets. But most of the carbon was in CO and methane molecules. If you want to know more this could be a good source: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/books/MESSII/9033.pdf
Camilo Rada
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-28T03:41:16.357Z
@Marcel Plan B: Sure, but reflect that there are a LOT of inorganic oxides in Earth's crust (and mantle, since per Google it's mostly silicates).  Here's a link to the 10 most common compounds in the crust, all oxides: https://education.jlab.org/glossary/abund_com.html
jamesqf
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-28T12:18:46.233Z
@CamiloRada congrats on 5000!
Eevee
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-28T13:02:45.110Z
I found this interesting article on CO2 ice "A NEW SOURCE OF CO2 IN THE UNIVERSE: A PHOTOACTIVATED ELEY-RIDEAL SURFACE REACTION ON WATER ICES", URL:
http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2041-8205/791/2/L21
Marcel Plan B
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-28T17:59:46.893Z
Co2 is relatively easy to make , all you really need is carbon and oxygen, inorganic carbon and oxygen bearing minerals are fairly common. Co2 is basically the default atmosphere for warm rocky planets, consider Venus and Mars also have co2 atmospheres.
John
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-27T19:28:38.810Z
2018-03-27T19:36:53.767Z
2018-03-27T19:36:53.767Z
Camilo Rada
<p>To start life there has to be <span class="math-container">$\ce{CO2}$</span>.</p>

<p><span class="math-container">$\ce{Solar energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O -&gt; C6H12O6 (sugars) + 6O2}$</span></p>

<p><span class="math-container">$C_6H_{12}O_{6} + O_2 \longrightarrow H_2O + {CO}_2 + \text{Energy}$</span></p>

<p>So to start this cycle, life needs <span class="math-container">$\text{CO}_2$</span>.
<strong>Where did the <span class="math-container">$\text{CO}_2$</span> came from?</strong> </p>

<p><span class="math-container">$C + O_2 + \text{Hot temperature in the Earth} \longrightarrow {CO}_2$</span></p>

<p>Volcanoes erupt <span class="math-container">${CO}_2 \longrightarrow {CO}_2$</span> in the Atmosphere.</p>

<p>Is this the answer?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-08T03:35:13.777Z
I'd question the assumption that you need CO2 to start life.  For instance, there are chemosynthetic bacteria that don't depend on photosynthesis or solar energy.
jamesqf
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-19T12:48:53.880Z
you are thinking of it backwards, CO2 is normal, with quite a few ways to form naturally, it is an oxygen atmosphere that is weird and needed life.
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-19T19:24:01.407Z
Let me rephrase it differently. When there is no life, how is CO2 then formed? A process of the right temperature and process?
Marcel Plan B
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-20T02:36:58.920Z
Venus seems to manage CO$_2$ without life very well.
Vogon Poet
<geology><volcanology><paleoclimatology><atmospheric-chemistry><co2>
How did CO₂ originate on Earth before there was life?
Marcel Plan B
# How did CO₂ originate on Earth before there was life?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-27)

To start life there has to be $\ce{CO2}$.

$\ce{Solar energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 (sugars) + 6O2}$

$C\_6H\_{12}O\_{6} + O\_2 \longrightarrow H\_2O + {CO}\_2 + \text{Energy}$

So to start this cycle, life needs $\text{CO}\_2$.
**Where did the $\text{CO}\_2$ came from?**

$C + O\_2 + \text{Hot temperature in the Earth} \longrightarrow {CO}\_2$

Volcanoes erupt ${CO}\_2 \longrightarrow {CO}\_2$ in the Atmosphere.

Is this the answer?

**Tags:** geology, volcanology, paleoclimatology, atmospheric-chemistry, co2

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'd question the assumption that you need CO2 to start life.  For instance, there are chemosynthetic bacteria that don't depend on photosynthesis or solar energy.  
> **username_2**: you are thinking of it backwards, CO2 is normal, with quite a few ways to form naturally, it is an oxygen atmosphere that is weird and needed life.  
> **username_0**: Let me rephrase it differently. When there is no life, how is CO2 then formed? A process of the right temperature and process?  
> **username_3**: Venus seems to manage CO$_2$ without life very well.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-03-27. Score: 16 | Accepted answer

The answer is **Volcanos**. There might be other inorganic processes capable to produce $\text{CO}\_2$, but on Earth, the main inorganic source of $\text{CO}\_2$ are volcanoes.

In some period of Earth's history, there is evidence of large glaciations events, some of them are thought to have been triggered by the lack of $\text{CO}\_2$ (like the [Snowball Earth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_Earth) and Permo-carboniferous glaciations), and volcanoes are with no doubt the main candidate to have been responsible of restoring the warm climate by feeding large amounts of $\text{CO}\_2$ into the atmosphere over millions of years.

$\text{CO}\_2$ is an important component of rocky planets, but it is mostly dissolved (in large quantities) in the magma that exist (or once existed) in the interior of such planets. However, when the magma rises close to the surface, the drop in pressure reduce the solubility of $\text{CO}\_2$ and it form bubbles of gaseous $\text{CO}\_2$, that can then be expelled into the atmosphere trough volcanic eruptions, that in addition to teprha, and rocks include large amounts of [volcanic gases](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_gas) of which $\text{CO}\_2$ is one of the main components.
Probably that process of exsolution of $\text{CO}\_2$ from hot molten rocks was happening even before the existence of volcanoes as we know them.

The same process happened once in Mars and Venus, whose atmospheres are composed mostly by $\text{CO}\_2$ ([96%](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars#Atmosphere) and [96.5%](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus#Atmosphere_and_climate) respectively), suggesting that abundant $\text{CO}\_2$ was also present in the early Earth's atmosphere.

Currently, it is estimated that volcanoes input to the atmosphere about 100 million tons of carbon in average per year in the form of $\text{CO}\_2$, as illustrated by this NASA figure of the Carbon cycle:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/pR1vq.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/pR1vq.jpg)
(Originally from [here](https://www.nasa.gov/topics/nasalife/features/globe-workshop.html))

You can see that many processes move carbon around, but the main reservoir by far is the crust, and that reservoir is tiny compared with all the $\text{CO}\_2$ stored deeper in the Earth's interior.

Finally, in addition to be required by photosynthesis, $\text{CO}\_2$ is part of the Earth's thermostat, that together with the [silicate weathering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonate%E2%80%93silicate_cycle) have been key to keep the Earth's temperature in the range of liquid water. Arguably another very important need for the existence of life as we know it.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you very much for your reply. You mentioned: "CO2 is an important component of rocky planets, but it is mostly dissolved (in large quantities) in the magma that exist (or once existed) in the interior of such planets." Perhaps a silly question, but how is the CO2 than actually formed by itself on these rocky planets, just: C + O2 --> CO2 (with the right temperature and pressure?). This must be an inorganic proces.  
> **username_5**: I don't know what was exactly the process that lead to the production of CO2. But I undesrstand there was already some CO2 in the solar nebula before the formation of the sun and the planets. But most of the carbon was in CO and methane molecules. If you want to know more this could be a good source: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/books/MESSII/9033.pdf  
> **username_1**: @username_0: Sure, but reflect that there are a LOT of inorganic oxides in Earth's crust (and mantle, since per Google it's mostly silicates).  Here's a link to the 10 most common compounds in the crust, all oxides: https://education.jlab.org/glossary/abund_com.html  
> **username_7**: @username_5 congrats on 5000!  
> **username_0**: I found this interesting article on CO2 ice "A NEW SOURCE OF CO2 IN THE UNIVERSE: A PHOTOACTIVATED ELEY-RIDEAL SURFACE REACTION ON WATER ICES", URL: http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2041-8205/791/2/L21  
> **username_2**: Co2 is relatively easy to make , all you really need is carbon and oxygen, inorganic carbon and oxygen bearing minerals are fairly common. Co2 is basically the default atmosphere for warm rocky planets, consider Venus and Mars also have co2 atmospheres.  
> **username_6**: @username_5 we have the \ce{} tag for chemical equation markup. See the edit I did on the first reaction in the original question. Makes it a whole lot easier. Now you know :)  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-04-12. Score: 0

I thought they where always present. Methane has a higher effect on Earth? When the carbon dioxide is high enough it will eventually warm the Methane to melt at the poles which then would cause the bulk cloud cover triggering an ice age which then freezes the carbon dioxide and methane again. Methane takes for longer to be absorbed by the ocean and Earth like carbon dioxide. The Earth cannot get to hot or cold because of the balance of the 2 molecules and their role in weather. Plants absorb some carbon dioxide which helps balance this.


---

