Biogeochemial Cycles Flashcards

(27 cards)

1
Q

What carbon forms are found in the atmosphere?

A

Carbon dioxide
Carbon monoxide
Methane

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2
Q

What Carbon forms are found in the hydrosphere?

A

Carbonic Acid
Hydrogen Carbonate Ions

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3
Q

What carbon forms are found in the lithosphere?

A

carbonate rocks, eg limestone

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4
Q

What carbon forms can be found in the biosphere?

A

all biological molecules, eg lipids, proteins, carbohydrates

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5
Q

What does anaerobic respiration release into the atmosphere?

A

methane

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6
Q

What is fossilisation?

A

The formation of long-term carbon stores such as fossil fuels and carbonate rocks

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7
Q

Name and explain a human activity that impacts the carbon cycle

A

Deforestation, reduces the amount of photosynthesis, slows the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere into biomass

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8
Q

Explain the effects of combusting fossil fuels

A

Releases the carbon stored in wood and fossil fuels back into the atmosphere
Could happen naturally in forest fires

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9
Q

List 3 examples of carbon stores

A

forests, peat bogs, coral reefs

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10
Q

What are the 2 methods humans can remove carbon from the atmosphere?

A

carbon sequestration through photosynthesis
carbon capture and storage- carbon pumped into underground structures in the lithosphere

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11
Q

What forms of nitrogen are found in the atmosphere?

A

nitrogen gas and nitrous oxide gases

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12
Q

What forms of nitrogen are found in the hydrosphere?

A

dissolved nitrates and ammonium ions

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13
Q

What forms of nitrogen are found in the lithosphere?

A

nitrates, nitrites, ammonium compounds in the soil, minerals containing nitrogen

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14
Q

What forms of nitrogen are found in the biosphere?

A

genetic material (DNA+RNA) and proteins

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15
Q

What is decomposition?

A

the breakdown of DOM to release ammonium ions/ammonia into the soil

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16
Q

What is nitrogen fixation?

A

converting nitrogen gas into a more usable form by breaking the triple bond and releasing the 2 nitrogen atoms

17
Q

What is nitrification?

A

The oxidation of ammonium ions to nitrites then to nitrates by nitrifying bacteria in the soil

18
Q

What is denitrification?

A

the chemical reduction of nitrates in the soil to nitrogen and nitrogen oxide gases
usually occurs in anaerobic conditions

19
Q

What are the 4 main processes in the nitrogen cycle?

A

nitrogen fixation
ammonification
nitrification
denitrification

20
Q

What is the harbor process?

A

artificial process used to make fertilisers
nitrogen and hydrogen atoms are brought together i high temperatures to form ammonia

21
Q

What forms of phosphorous are found in the hydrosphere?

A

dissolved phosphate ions

22
Q

Is phosphorous present in the atmosphere?

23
Q

What forms of phosphorous are present in the lithosphere?

A

phosphates in the soil, phosphorous rich rocks such as guano

24
Q

What forms of phosphorous are present in the biosphere?

A

bones, DNA, cell membranes

25
What is the affect of erosion and weathering in the phosphorous cycle?
releases phosphorous from rocks causes the leeching of phosphorous into water bodies through soil erosion
26
What happens to phosphates in acidic conditions?
solubility increases leading to increased risk of leeching and running off into nearby water bodies
27
What happens to phosphates in alkaline conditions?
phosphates are insoluble and not available for plant root absorption