What is the chemical formula for carbon dioxide?

The chemical formula for carbon dioxide is CO2. Carbon dioxide is most often created during the life cycle of plants and the exhalation of breath in animals and humans.

Carbon dioxide, also known as CO2 gas, was the first gas to be set apart from air as a whole. Scientists were able to easily discover its difference in Earth’s atmosphere, due to its odd connections with life on the planet, such as plants, animals and humans.

In 1630, scientist Jan van Helmont discovered the dissimilarities between the vapors given off from burning wood to the vapors in the air. This vapor is now known as carbon dioxide. In modern life, carbon dioxide has many uses, such as in fire extinguishers and dry ice.