Since the beginning of the industrial revolution which started around 1850, huma

Question

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution which started around 1850, humans have consumed about 600 Gtons of carbon in the form of fossil fuels.  This has lead to an increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from 280 ppm in 1850 to 380 ppm (today).  The radiative forcing associated with this increase of CO2 from pre-industrial times to today is estimated at 1.7 W m-2.

            a) The planet has remaining fossil fuels of 250 Gtons carbon in the form of oil, 300 Gtons of carbon in natural gas resources and about 3,700 Gtons of carbon in coal resources.  For each of the three fossil fuels, estimate what the atmospheric CO2 levels would be if we used each fuel up (that is

Explanation / Answer

Draw a straight-line graph (linear extrapolation) using the data in the first paragraph. Find the equation of the line(s). (It's that y = mx + b thingy.) Then you got like your basic-type algebra stuff.

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