Abstract: In this paper, a one-dimensional gliding arc model and the detailed mechanism of CO₂ cracking reaction were established. The characteristic frequency of convection cooling was used to calculate the plasma component loss caused by cross flow convection. The calculated plasma density and plasma temperature were compared with the experimental data of gliding arc plasma reactor in the literature. The calculation results show that a large number of active combustion supporting particles such as O and O₂ and combustible CO gas will be produced during CO₂ cracking by gliding arc. With the increase of the characteristic frequency of convection cooling, the maximum electron number density and electron temperature decrease, and the CO₂ conversion rate decreases. The contribution rate of e+CO₂→e+CO+O is the largest in the whole mechanism of CO₂ cracking, which is 90.63% in quasi steady state and 98.43% in transient state. The contribution rate of CO+O+M→CO₂+M to CO₂ generation is the largest. In practical application, in order to improve the conversion rate of CO₂, the discharge current and the reaction rate of e+CO₂→e+CO+O should be appropriately increased. The gas flow rate should be appropriately selected to avoid the decline of CO₂ conversion rate caused by excessive speed.