carbon cycle

Question 1

processes involved

Answer 1

• respiration
• photosynthesis
• weathering
• transport
• c fixation
• burial
• erosion

Question 2

compartments in the carbon cycle

Answer 2

• deep soil earth
• sediments
• fossil fuels
• deep ocean
• soil
• terrestrial plants and animals
• atmosphere

Question 3

marine carbon cycle - solubility pump

Answer 3

• ocean atmosphere exhange
• atmosphere has a higher concentration of co2 than surface water
• co2 flows down its concentration gradient into the oceanhum
• depends on temperature as co2 more soluble in colder waters
• co2 undergoes dissolution and chemical reactions
  1. combines with h20 to form carbonic acid
  2. carbonic acid dissociated into h+ and bicarbonate ions

Question 4

marine carbon cycle - biological pump

Answer 4

• controlled by co2, nutreints (N,P) and pH
• exports carbon from the surface waters to the deep ocean
• this causes the surface waters to be depleted in alkalinity and co2 ensurng there is always a steep concentration gradient

Question 5

carbon flow into ocean - stats

Answer 5

• net flow of 2Gt per year
• this accounts fro 30% of the carbon added to the atmosphere by the burring of fossil fuels
• stores 380,000 Gt

Question 6

human influence of the carbon cycle

Answer 6

1. deforestation
   - reduced photosynthesius
   - removed carbon from the biosphere
   - most is brunt or decomposed - co2 released to atmosphere
2. tilling of agricultural soil
   - leads to rapid decomposition and oxidation of soil organic matter
3. land use change
   - reduces the size of the land biota reservoir

Question 7

co2 fertilisation effect

Answer 7

• high co2 in atmosphere
• increased plant growth
• more photosynthesis
• decreased co2 in atmosphere
• decreased plant growth
• negative feedback loop

Question 8

fast carbon cycle

Answer 8

• on land and atmosphere
• short residence time of 10 - 10000 years

Question 9

slow carbon cycle

Answer 9

• carbon stored in rocks and sediments in the lithosphere
• residence time over 10,000 years

Question 10

inorganic carbon cycle

Answer 10

• happened before life existed
• C leaves the atmosphere by dissolving in rainwater as carbonic acid or by reacting with silicate rocks to form limestone

Question 11

aerobic respiration reaction

Answer 11

glucose + oxygen = co2 + water + 36ATP

Question 12

anaerobic respiration in animals

Answer 12

glucose = 2lactate + 2 ATP

Question 13

anaerbic respiration in plants

Answer 13

glucose = 2ethanol + 2co2 + 2ATP

Question 14

photosynthesis reaction

Answer 14

co2 + water + sunlight = glucose + oxygen