Carbon Cycle

Question 1

What was the name of the legal deal signed in 2015 about climate change?

Answer 1

COP21

Question 2

How many countries signed COP21?

Answer 2

195

Question 3

Why do oil prices fluctuate?

Answer 3

Geopolitical factors - if a country wants to block another or sanction another

Economic factors - supply and demand can cause oil prices to rise or fall

Question 4

How has fracking in North America affected oil prices?

Answer 4

Caused them to fall dramatically

USA is largest energy consumer and so had to import a lot of oil and gas which was expensive

Domestic sources cut out transport costs, making prices fall

Question 5

What is the geological carbon cycle?

Answer 5

The cycle of carbon between land, oceans and the atmosphere

Question 6

What are the two types of carbon in the geological carbon cycle?

Answer 6

Geological carbon - stored in sedimentary and carbonate rocks

Biologically derived carbon - stored in shale, coal, etc

Question 7

What are the two main ways of maintaining equilibrium in the carbon cycle?

Answer 7

Outgassing - carbon from the mantle is released by volcanos as CO2

Chemical weathering - where atmospheric CO2 combines with rain water to for carbonic acid which dissolves carbonate rocks

Question 8

What is the bio-geochemical carbon cycle?

Answer 8

The transfer of carbon between living and chemical stores

Question 9

What are the 4 main processes in the bio-geochemical carbon cycle?

Answer 9

Photosynthesis
Respiration
Decomposition
Combustion

Question 10

How does the amount of carbon transferred from fossil fuel combustion relate to the amounts transferred naturally?

Answer 10

It is a very small percentage of natural transfer

However it is still enough to trigger effects such as climate change

Proves how delicate of an equilibrium the carbon cycle is in

Question 11

What are the 3 ways carbon can be found?

Answer 11

Inorganic - rocks, etc

Organic - natural and plant material

Gaseous - found in atmosphere as CO2 and CH4

Question 12

What is the biological carbon pump?

Answer 12

The way in which carbon is transferred from the ocean into the atmosphere and vice versa

Question 13

What are phytoplankton?

Answer 13

Photosynthetic organisms that live in the surface layers of the ocean

Question 14

Describe what is meant by the sequestration

Answer 14

The processes by which carbon moves through different stores and fluxes

Question 15

How do phytoplankton sequester carbon?

Answer 15

They absorb CO2 for photosynthesis

They then grow and develop and use some carbon to make their carbonate shells

When they die they sink to the sea floor and accumulate where over millions of years they become carbonate rocks

Question 16

How is carbon sequestered terrestrially?

Answer 16

Plants perform photosynthesis to convert CO2 into organic carbon

Primary consumers eat the plants

Secondary and tertiary consumers eat the primary consumers

The consumers die

Decomposition or non decomposition takes place

Carbon is transferred

Question 17

How do mangroves sequester carbon from the atmosphere into the soil?

Answer 17

Photosynthesis to convert CO2 into organic carbon

Plant grows

Leaves and branches fall off

They decompose and are buried into the soil

This stores the carbon there

Question 18

Compare the efficacy of soil as a carbon store in Tundra and Rainforest biomes

Answer 18

Rainforests have very deep soil and the trees are much larger so drop more organic matter. As a result, much more carbon can be stored here

in Tundra, much of the soil is frozen (permafrost). So, microbe activity only takes place in the very top layer of the soil.
Less decomposition can occur and as a result less carbon can be stored

Question 19

Why do we need natural greenhouse gasses?

Answer 19

Because they absorb and re-emit heat back towards earth.

It keeps earth’s temperature more than 16 degrees warmer than it would be otherwise

This allows earth to sustain life

Question 20

What percentage of CO2 emissions come from burning fossil fuels?

Answer 20

75%

Question 21

What natural process is essential to maintaining the composition of the atmosphere? Explain why?

Answer 21

Photosynthesis

It pumps CO2 from the atmosphere into different stores such as the ocean or the soil

Without it CO2 concentrations would rise even quicker and global warming would be increased

Question 22

What is primary productivity?

Answer 22

The rate at which an area produces biomass

Question 23

Which biomes have the highest and lowest primary productivity?

Answer 23

Highest = Rainforest

Lowest = Desert or Tundra

Question 24

What are the implications of fossil fuel exploitation?

Answer 24

Unbalancing the carbon cycle - It is in equilibrium, burning fossil fuels throws it off and can have long term impacts

Arctic Amplification - The arctic is warming at 2x the average global rate, this is causing snow melt and releasing trapped greenhouse gasses

Climate - Europe is getting much hotter year by year. Impacting the local ecosystems. More extreme weather patterns such as hurricanes

Hydrological cycle - The increased snow melt in certain areas could unbalance the hydrological cycle causing periods of extreme flooding or drought

Question 25

What does the level of energy consumption depend on?

Answer 25

Lifestyle - more consumerism = more consumption Climate - Extreme hot or cold = more consumption Technology Availability - more availability = more consumption Demand - more demand = more consumption

Question 26

What happens to energy consumption as countries become more developed?

Answer 26

Energy consumption increases More people have more disposable income to spend on luxuries such as more hot water and air con/ central heating. e.g Rising middle classes of Asia

Question 27

What is an energy mix?

Answer 27

The proportion of a country's energy consumption that comes from different stores

Question 28

What are primary energy sources?

Answer 28

Energy sources consumed in their raw from e.g fossil fuels such as petrol or coal

Question 29

What are secondary energy sources?

Answer 29

Energy sources that can be used to generate electricity e.g Wind or Solar power

Question 30

What are domestic energy sources?

Answer 30

Energy sources that are produced and consumed in the same country e.g North Sea oil for the UK

Question 31

What're overseas energy sources?

Answer 31

Energy sources that are imported from other countries e.g UK imports lots of oil from Russia

Question 32

Why might it not be beneficial to use overseas energy sources more than domestic ones

Answer 32

Creates an energy deficit This creates a country more energy insecure as if the country they are importing from decides to increase prices they have no choice but to comply e.g Uk is energy dependent on Russia. Ukraine invasion left the UK in a vulnerable position

Question 33

What are Recyclable energy sources?

Answer 33

Energy that can be reused more than 1 time. e.g Reprocessed uranium and plutonium from nuclear power

Question 34

What are the 6 main factors that determine a country's energy mix?

Answer 34

Physical availability Cost Technology Political Considerations Economic Development Environmental Priorities

Question 35

Describe the trends in both fossil fuel and energy consumption in the UK in recent years

Answer 35

Consumption is decreasing for both However still too high to be sustainable and environmentally safe

Question 36

Who are the 4 main players in securing energy pathways?

Answer 36

Energy TNCs OPEC (oil-producing and exporting countries) National governments Consumers

Question 37

Give examples of Energy TNCs (both old and new players)

Answer 37

Old: BP, Shell, Exxon/Mobil New: Gazprom, Petrobas

Question 38

What is the relationship between development and energy consumption?

Answer 38

As development increases so does energy consumption

Question 39

What drove the rapid increase in global energy consumption since the 1990's?

Answer 39

China's rapid economic growth

Question 40

What are energy pathways?

Answer 40

The way in which energy flows from its source to its consumer

Question 41

How can disruption to shipping routes affect global oil prices? give a named example

Answer 41

Most oil is shipped on tankers 20% of these tankers pass the Straight of Hormuz If this gets blocked then supply is shortened and price increases

Question 42

Give an example of a political conflict that is said to involve oil

Answer 42

The USA and Russia's involvement in the Syrian war Many say it is to secure oil supplies and construct pipelines to Europe

Question 43

Why are countries developing 'unconventional' fossil fuels? give an example of where this is occurring

Answer 43

To try and produce more domestic energy Increases their energy security e.g Canada exploiting tar sands USA exploiting shale gas (by fracking)

Question 44

Give some examples of 'unconventional' fossil fuels

Answer 44

Deep water oil Tar sands Shale gas Oil shale

Question 45

Who are the players in Canada exploiting tar sands?

Answer 45

Governments Oil companies Environmental pressure groups Local communities

Question 46

What are the costs and benefits of Canada's tar sand exploitation?

Answer 46

Costs: 5-10 times more expensive than extraction oil Very energy and water-intensive Produces lots of toxic waste Deforestation and loss of Peat bogs Benefits: Increases energy security Can serve as a fuel stopgap while renewables become more available Boosts local and national economies Provides jobs for locals

Question 47

How is the UK changing its energy mix?

Answer 47

By reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels: Increasing renewables, (northern array wind farm) Developing Nuclear energy (Hinkley Point C) Reducing energy use (tech like LED bulbs) Recycling more energy

Question 48

What is the strike price?

Answer 48

The amount a government offers an energy company per MwH for a certain energy type

Question 49

What are the pros and cons of using Biofuels instead of petrol?

Answer 49

Pros: emits 80% less CO2 than petrol In Brazil has cut CO2 emissions by 350 million tonnes Reduces global warming Cons: Deforestation to plant the crops required In Brazil, farmworkers were forced to grow sugar cane and were less able to grow food for their families

Question 50

How carbon neutral are biofuels?

Answer 50

Not very Plants need pesticides and fertiliser made from fossil fuels Deforestation to grow crops removes carbon sinks Some biofuels (like rapeseed oil) emit more carbon than petrol

Question 51

What is CCS?

Answer 51

Carbon capture and storage CO2 from coal power plants is compressed and transported underground It is then injected into underground reservoirs e.g aquifers Not financially viable to do on a large scale