Unit 5 carbon dioxide lead-in

Task 1. Use your general knowledge and find the words and phrases related to the definition and effects of carbon dioxide.

slightly acidic, global warming, gas, inorganic chemical compound, amino acids, heavier than air, snow precipitations, naturally occurring, water pollution with harmful chemicals, two oxygen atoms, to be at risk for intoxication, double bonded to a single carbon atom, crack resistance, greenhouse effect, increase in temperature worldwide, the flow of electric current, melting ice, high atmospheric pressure, weakening of the material, a significant thickness of glaze ice, presence of inorganic dissolved solids.

Task 2. Read the following facts about carbon dioxide and say if you have known these facts before. Extend some of the statements using your general knowledge. What other interesting facts about carbon dioxide do you know?

• The first published observation of dry ice was done in 1835 by French chemist Charles Thilorier. He noted the formation of dry ice when a container of liquid carbon dioxide was opened.

• Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the mid 1800s, factories and power plants have significantly increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by burning coal and other fossil fuels.

• Of the 186 billion tons of carbon dioxide that enter Earth’s atmosphere each year from all sources, only 6 billion tons are from human activity. Approximately 90 billion tons come from biologic activity in Earth's oceans and another 90 billion tons from such sources as volcanoes and decaying land plants.

• Just about all of the readily-accessible carbon dioxide in the climate system is found in three places: the atmosphere, the ocean, and the soil biosphere (plants, animals, and microbes).

• Liquid and solid carbon dioxide are important refrigerants, especially in the food industry, where they are employed during the transportation and storage of ice cream and other frozen foods.

• The polar caps of Mars are mostly made up of carbon dioxide.

Task 3. Read and memorize the following words and phrases for better text comprehension. Then choose the words from the vocabulary list to complete the sentences below.

сarbon dioxide	вуглекислий газ
non-flammable	незаймистий
abundant	поширений
constituent	складник
radiant	випромінюваний
greenhouse effect	тепличний ефект
to release	випускати
to fuel	живити
scientific issue	наукова проблема

1. ____ substance is not easily ignited or, when ignited, does not explode or burn rapidly.

2. The most____ inorganic compound in a living thing is water.

3. ____ heat is widely regarded as the most comfortable, healthiest and most natural heating form available.

4. The major ____ of natural gas is methane, however, other gaseous hydrocarbons are also present.

5. Volcanoes – both on land and under the ocean – ____ greenhouse gases, so periods of high volcanic activity tend to be warmer.

6. ____ materials are materials that do not ignite easily and once they are ignited they burn slow.