Carbon Cycle Flashcards
What are Volcanic Eruptions? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
Eruptions release large amounts of Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Releases Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere
Lithosphere - Volcanoes release the carbon dioxide
What is Photosynthesis? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
When producers (eg. plants) take in carbon dioxide, along with water and solar energy to make food in the form of glucose.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon dioxide is taken in by producers
Biosphere - Producers are living organisms
Hydrosphere - Water is used in photosynthesis
What is Carbon Sequestration? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
When carbon is taken out of the atmosphere and stored in various ways and areas, such as being taken in by plants, phytoplankton, marine life and dissolving in oceans.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon dioxide is stored
Biosphere - Plants, phytoplankton and marine life take in carbon dioxide
Hydrosphere - Carbon dioxide gets stored and dissolved in the ocean.
What is Cellular Respiration? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
The opposite of carbon sequestration; the process of putting back carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, like how animals take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon dioxide gets placed back into the atmosphere
Biosphere - This is due to living organisms breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide
What is Decomposition? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
When decomposers break down dead matter and release carbon dioxide.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon dioxide gets released into the atmosphere
Biosphere - Decomposers break down dead matter to release carbon dioxide
What is Fossilisation and Unavailable Carbon? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
When organic matter gets buried and transforms into organic matter or fossil fuels, removing carbon from the cycle. Once fossil fuels are formed, they remain underground until extracted.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon gets taken out of the cycle during fossilisation
Biosphere - Fossils were once living organisms
Lithosphere - Fossils get buried and form underground
What is Limestone Weathering? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
When limestone breaks down due to acids found in infiltrating rainwater and soil, producing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon dioxide releases into the atmosphere
Hydrosphere - Infiltrating rainwater comes from precipitation
Lithosphere - Limestone is found in the soil
What is the Combustion of Fossil Fuels? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
The only human impact on the list and therefore not part of the natural carbon cycle. This involves the burning of fossil fuels that releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Combustion releases carbon dioxide
Biosphere - Fossils were once living and combustion is done by humans
Lithosphere - Fossil fuels were gathered underground
What is Deforestation and Fires? What Earth’s spheres are involved and how?
When trees and vegetation get destroyed either by deforestation or fires and release carbon dioxide. This causes the loss of carbon reservoirs.
Spheres involved:
Atmosphere - Carbon Dioxide gets released in this process
Biosphere - Plants get destroyed, usually by humans
Define the Carbon Cycle
The cycle that transfers carbon throughout the Earth’s four spheres.
