Earth's atmosphere contains only small amounts of carbon dioxide because: chemical reactions with other gases destroyed the carbon dioxide and replaced it with the nitrogen that is in the atmosphere now. the earth's volcanoes did not outgas as much carbon dioxide as those on venus and mars. carbon dioxide dissolves in water, and most of it is now contained in the oceans and carbonate rocks. most of the carbon dioxide was lost during the age of bombardment. earth doesn't have as strong a greenhouse effect as is present on venus.