CO2 makes up less than 1% of our atmosphere, but Mars?

Question

atmosphere is made up of approximately 95% CO2. Why isn’t the surface of Mars melting ?

Answer 1

Mars is about half the size of Earth and further from the sun. The atmosphere is very thin (relative to Earth) so it cannot hold as much heat. There is also a lack of water vapor. Although water vapor doesn't have the radiative forcing of CO2,  is a very important because of the quantity of it in Earth's atmosphere.  Water vapor moderates climate by cooling through evapotranspiration and  and releasing heat through rainfall (latent heat).

Is this suppose to be some kind of argument "proving" CO2 doesn't hold heat or something?  An easier way is to take 2 identical small jars and place them an equal distance from a 100w bulb.  In 1 jar just put room air and a couple of thermometers, in the other, mix baking soda and vinegar (releases CO2 I think) and put thermometers.  The read the thermometers after an hour or so in the jars and calculated the average for the jars.  See which is higher. You can also use a CO2 cartridge for an air gun that you can buy at Walmart if you want to eliminate the water vapor that would be present in the other method.  Just be safe - don't let it blowup on you.

Only someone that wants to obstruct and confuse people from learning the truth would suggest that Mars and Earth are so similar that Mars should provide us with a model of how Earth's climate systems work.  If you don't like the IPCC models because of the shortcomings,  then you should really hate this comparison. This is  beyond silly.  You would not be suggesting that would you this is a better model would you?

Answer 2

Did you know that water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas in the Earth's atmosphere? The average atmospheric pressure on Mars is about 0.7% of the pressure on Earth, so even if has a lot more carbon dioxide, it still doesn't have that much more than Earth, and the amount of water vapor in Mars' atmosphere is only about 0.03%, while it is about 1% of Earth's much denser atmosphere.  That means that Earth's atmosphere has about 5000 times as much water vapor in its atmosphere than Mars, so we would expect Earth to be warmer if we're comparing greenhouse gases.  Of course, it's also closer to the sun.

Dr Jello again gets his science all screwed up.  He says

"Mars climate is 60% as dense as the Earths. It's the same as if you were standing on a mountain 13,000 high."

This is wrong, as I stated it's about 0.7% as dense as Earth's, and you'd have to stand on a mountain that stuck way up above Everest into the Earth's stratosphere to find a pressure that low.

"Venus on the other hand also has 95% co2, but the density of the atmosphere is 92 times greater than Earths. It's like standing on the outer core of Earth."

No, it's not.  Standing on the outer core of the Earth you'd feel a pressure more like 500,000 times what you'd feel on the surface of the Earth.  Not even close Dr Jello

Answer 3

Overall size of the atmosphere makes the difference. A shot glass with 95% alcohol isn't going to get you as drunk as a mug with the same percentage.

So while mars has a higher percent, it has a thinner atmosphere overall, and is further from the sun than the earth.

Answer 4

Mars climate is 60% as dense as the Earths.  It's the same as if you were standing on a mountain 13,000 high.  

There are many similarity between Earth and Mars.

Venus on the other hand also has 95% co2, but the density of the atmosphere is 92 times greater than Earths.  It's like standing on the outer core of Earth.

The difference is the distance the planets are from the Sun.  It's the Sun, not co2 that causes warmth.  

There is no correlation between co2 and temperatures.

Answer 5

It's mostly because it has much less water vapor than Earth, which provides a strong positive greenhouse feedback.  Additionally, it's further from the Sun, and has a less dense atmosphere overall.  See the link below for further details.

Answer 6

There are several reasons, Mars is smaller so can hold less atmosphere, there is no atmospheric water vapor which is the largest green house gas on Earth.

Yes Mars atmosphere is 95% cO2, but were Earths atmospheric pressure is 14.7, Mars is 0.147, thats 1/100

One comment here suggests its like being at 13000, this is rubbish Everest is 29000 and climbers can survive there for short periods with oxygen. On Mars a person without a space suit would die in seconds.

By comparison pressure at the top of Everest is ~1/3 of sea level pressure or around 300Kpa.

Answer 7

30 seconds of effort and you would have found that this question has already been asked and answered a few dozen times.

It's not the percentage of CO2 that matters, it's the density.

Let's say CO2 is like a wood target.

Image setting up a target practice site for a blind person. If you put 2 wood targets and 0 plastic targets up on 10 acres, you could say that 100% of the targets are wood. But the chances of a blind shooter hitting a wood target are very minuscule.

If you also set up a target practice site with 500 wood targets and 9,500 plastic targets, you would say that "only" 5% of the targets are wood. But the chances of the blind shooter hitting a wood target are much higher on this range.

The chances of long-wave radiation emitted from planet earth hitting CO2 in our atmosphere are much higher than in Mars atmosphere.