Carbon Cycle

Question 1

What is the Carbon Cycle

Answer 1

Transfer of carbon stores between the land, ocean and atmosphere

Question 2

Main carbon stores

Answer 2

Marine sediments/ sedimentary rocks
Oceans
Fissile fuel deposits
Soil organic matter
Atmosphere
Terrestrial plants

Question 3

What is carbon sequestion

Answer 3

Transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to other carbon stores
Can either be done naturally or artificially

Question 4

What is a carbon source

Answer 4

A store that emits more carbon than it takes in

Question 5

What is a carbon sink

Answer 5

A store that takes in more carbon than it emits

Question 6

What is a carbon flux

Answer 6

Transfer of carbon between stores

Question 7

Carbon Fluxes

Answer 7

Combustion - burning of fossil fuels
Diffusion - movement of carbon from the atmosphere to the oceans
Decomposition - breaking down of plans and organisms
Sedimentation - organisms dying
Volcanic Outgassing - volcanic eruptions

Question 8

Carbon Stores examples

Answer 8

Terrestrial
Oceanic
Gaseous

Inorganic - found in rocks
Organic - found in plants
Gaseous - found as CO2 and CH4 (methane)

Question 9

Biological pump

Answer 9

CO2 diffuses into oceans
Phytoplankton photosynthesis and take in CO2
Phytoplankton respire - give out CO2
Phytoplankton get eaten by larger organisms and the carbon is passed down the food chain

Question 10

Physical Pump

Answer 10

Surface of water in overloaded with Carbon
Thermohaline circulation in oceans pushes cold salty water from the poles into deep oceans
Overloaded surface water is pushed down into deep oceans and stored

Question 11

Carbonate pump

Answer 11

Organisms taken in Carbon in order to build up their shells
This can lead to ocean acidification

Question 12

Carbon store in Soil

Answer 12

20-30% of carbon is stored in the soils
Microorganisms break down planet releasing carbon into the atmosphere
Microorganisms respire and breath out CO2

Question 13

Factored affecting carbon stores in Soil

Answer 13

Climate
Increase in temperature will cause plant growth to occur much faster
Microbes activity will be much faster
Decomposition rate will increase

Question 14

Terrestrial sequestion

Answer 14

Primary producers - plants photosynthesis
Respire give out CO2
Organisms and plants decompose - release CO2
Microbes feed on waste material from animals and plants
Microorganisms respire CO2

Question 15

Greenhouse Effect

Answer 15

Sunlight passes through the atmosphere and heats up the earth surface
Some energy is reflected back as InfraRed radiation
Some of the IR radiation escapes into outer space in order to keep the planet cool
Some IR is trapped by greenhouse gases in the air keeping the earth warm
Increased in CO2 - Global Warming

Question 16

Anthropogenic activities affecting Greenhouse Effect

Answer 16

Deforestation - cutting down on carbon sinks
Urbanisation - building buildings and similar infrastructure
Combustion - burning of fossil fuels

Increase in level of CO2 can cause damage within the water cycle