Carbon Cycle

Question 1

How do humans release carbon?

Answer 1

Combustion of fossil fuels
Deforestation
Industry
Transport

Question 2

How is carbon released naturally?

Answer 2

Acid rain
respiration 
evaporation/transpiration
volcanic activity 
(natural processes have the largest flow of carbon)

Question 3

Types of carbon

Answer 3

Geological and biologically derived carbon

Question 4

How much CO2 was released from the Icelandic eruption?

Answer 4

300 000 tonnes per day

Question 5

What does sequested mean?

Answer 5

naturally stored

Question 6

What are long term stores of carbon?

Answer 6

Crustal/terrestrial/geological=> sedimentary rocks, very slow cycling over millennia
Oceanic (deep) =>most carbon is dissolved, inorganic carbon stored at greater depths, very slow cycle

Question 7

What are short term stores of carbon?

Answer 7

Terrestrial soil=> microorganisms break most organic matter down into CO2 from biomass
Oceanic (surface)=> CO@ dissolves into the water and phytoplankton photosynthesises releasing carbon, making the exchange very rapid
Atmospheric=> greenhouse gases are stored such as CO2
Terrestrial ecosystems=>CO2 is taken in during photosynthesis and is stored in plants, especially trees, rapid exchange

Question 8

What key processes are involved in the carbon cycle?

Answer 8

weathering (mechanical, biological, chemical) decomposition
sedimentation (the formation of sedimentary rocks from the compaction of calcium carbonate from shells and skeletons of marine creatures)
transportation
metamorphism ( heat and pressure create metamorphic rocks)

Question 9

What implications are there for the earths climate if temperature increased by 2’C ?

Answer 9

• Stronger storm activity, increased precipitations in higher latitudes, drought, sea level rise
  +Grow different types of crops, easier to travel via boats

Question 10

What implications are there for ecosystems if temperature increased by 2’C ?

Answer 10

• 10% of land species will face extinction, reduced biodiversity, 80% of coral reefs could be bleached

Question 11

What implications are there for the hydrological cycle if temperature increased by 2’C ?

Answer 11

• rivers will dry up, small glaciers will disappear decreasing river discharge

Question 12

Describe why GHG’s have increased since the Industrial Revolution

Answer 12

Decreased photosynthesis, increased respiration and increased fossil fuel consumption

Question 13

How are developing countries affected by global carbon emissions?

Answer 13

Latin America only contribute 12.5% of global carbon emissions, but will most heavily be affected by global warming
-precipitation may decline by 20-40%
more heat waves, desertification= reduced food availability

Question 14

What are the role of decomposers in the health of the soil?

Answer 14

Break down biomass so it can be stored as carbon in humus, improve the fertility of the soil, reduce limiting factors of plant growth by providing nutrients

Question 15

How much short wave radiation is reflected and how much is absorbed?

Answer 15

31% reflected by clouds and land surfaces, 69% absorbed by oceans

Question 16

What would the global average temperature be without the natural greenhouse effect?

Answer 16

-6’C

Global average temp is 15’C which is a life supporting temperature for a variety of flora and fauna

Question 17

How will climate change affect rainfall?

Answer 17

A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, wet regions get wetter, drier regions get drier,

Question 18

What is the energy mix?

Answer 18

The proportion of each primary energy resource it uses per year

Question 19

What factors does the energy mix depend on?

Answer 19

Availability, accessibility, energy needs, changing energy consumption patterns, national or regional policies, financial costs

Question 20

What is energy security?

Answer 20

The uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable price

Question 21

Describe the UK’s energy security

Answer 21

-Could face blackouts, energy per capita has increased, relies on North Sea oil
+Increase in renewable energy
+Aims to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030

=Although more renewable, Uk relies on imports making it energy insecure

Question 22

Describe Swedens energy security

Answer 22

-Reliant on fossil fuels of transport
+Mainly relies on HEP (high energy value and high power output) providing most of the population with electricity
+Aims to be carbon neutral by 2050

=energy secure on the whole

Question 23

What are the oceanic carbon pumps?

Answer 23

biological, carbonate and physical

Question 24

describe the biological carbon pump

Answer 24

CO2 is requested into oceans by phytoplankton. Phytoplankton float on the surface of the ocean to photosynthesise, and pass carbon along the food chain to consumers which release the CO2 by respiration

Question 25

describe the carbonate carbon pump

Answer 25

Calcium carbonate found in marine skeletons and shells sink to the sea floor either dissolving in the ocean or forming limestones sediments (e.g.. white cliffs of dover)

Question 26

describe the physical carbon pump

Answer 26

Colder waters can absorb more CO2 so CO2 concentration is 10% higher in deep water than surface water. Warm waters release more CO2. Large ocean currents (North Atlantic drift) moves water from the tropics to the poles, absorbing more CO2

Question 27

How has human activity affected the carbon cycle?

Answer 27

Increasing demand for food and fuel Deforestation Oceanic acidification (role of carbon sink increasing) Impact to soils (net decrease in carbon stored) Combustion of fossil fuels Foodchains and biomes disrupted (decline in coral reef health and marine ecosystems)

Question 28

What is geological carbon release?

Answer 28

Degassing of volcanoes, carbon recycled at destructive plate margins when carbonate is dragged into mantle

Question 29

How much CO2 does volcanic activity release?

Answer 29

300 million tonnes per year

Question 30

What is the most degassing volcano in Europe?

Answer 30

Mount Etna (due to dolomite and limestone beneath)

Question 31

How long does it take to form coal?

Answer 31

300 million years (in anaerobic conditions anthracite is converted into coal)

Question 32

Explain how terrestrial sequestration occurs

Answer 32

Fastest part of the carbon cycle, takes place in processes such as weathering, decomposition, transportation, sedimentation or metamorphism The process is affected by climate and clycling, as it will happen much faster in tropical climates

Question 33

What impacts biological carbon in soils?

Answer 33

The topsoil horizons are most active in carbon cycling as hummus. Carbon can also be found in long term stores such as permafrost Hummus soils are 60% carbon

Question 34

Factors that affect carbon in the soil

Answer 34

Soil type (clay=higher carbon content) Management and use of soils (soils have lost 40-90 billion tonnes of carbon since 1850) Climate (cold climates store 800 tonnes per hectare of carbon which is must higher than in arid climates)

Question 35

What is the holocene now being referred to?

Answer 35

the anthropocene due to the profound changes caused by humans

Question 36

How can an increase in carbon change global temperature?

Answer 36

``` Enhanced greenhouse effect Increased temperature loss of glaciers loss of albedo, increases temperature winters and colder and longer oceans get warmer, marine life die ```

Question 37

How can an increase in carbon change global precipitation?

Answer 37

low pressure on the equator, little rainfall drought wet areas get wetter more storms and hurricanes

Question 38

Which country has the highest total energy consumption?

Answer 38

China (3040 mtoe)

Question 39

Which country has one of the lowest total energy consumption?

Answer 39

France (243 mtoe)

Question 40

What energy players are there?

Answer 40

Energy TNC's (Gazprom output in 2015 was 8.3 boe) OPEC (control 81% of world oil reserves) National governments (EU governments aims to reduce fossil fuel dependency) Consumers (create demand and impact price/cost of fuels)

Question 41

Types of energy pathways

Answer 41

Bulk carrier ships (coal+uranium) Trans-Alaskan pipeline (oil+gas) Tanker ships (oil+LNG) Underground electricity cables

Question 42

What are human obstacles for energy pathways?

Answer 42

Conflict between areas Pirate activity Embargoes (bans)

Question 43

What are natural obstacles for energy pathways?

Answer 43

Difficult terrain Extraction from deep waters Extracting from tar sands

Question 44

What is a choke point

Answer 44

Areas where key transport links can be easily disrupted

Question 45

Examples of choke points

Answer 45

Strait of Hormuz (approx 17 million barrels of oil pass through per day) Strait of Malacca (77 piracy incidents in 2017)

Question 46

Political conflict of energy pathways

Answer 46

1)Russia vs USA for control over Syria Many argue that the main reason for control over Syria is due to the proposed pipeline through Syria to fuel Europe 2)Russia is the biggest supplier of oil and wants share in European market Russia allies with Iran who wants the same involvement Iran wants to export its gas through Syrian pipelines, therefore it defends the Syrian government

Question 47

Positive impacts of US Shale gas

Answer 47

Economic + In the USA, the development of shale resources supported 600,000 jobs in 2010 +Provides of $4.4 billion in federal states Political + Energy companies have been increasing the price of gas in order to convince the government to export to different counties Environmental +Carbon footprint of shale gas is half that of coal

Question 48

Negative impacts of US Shale gas

Answer 48

Economic -chemical, manufacturing and steel industries may decline. Environmental -Releases methane and carbon dioxide which contributes towards global warming -Increased risk of earthquakes -Loss of habitats/biodiversity Political -Countries/states will start to become more reliant on US states with large supplies and extractions of shale gas as conventional fossil fuels start to run out, which could lead to conflict Social -Health risks from harmful substances, contaminated groundwater and air pollution

Question 49

How is Shale gas extracted?

Answer 49

Shale gas is trapped inside impermeable shale rocks Hydraulic fracking involves forcing water mixed with chemicals into shale rock so that it splits apart and gas flows into a well

Question 50

How is shale oil extracted?

Answer 50

Oil shale can be mined, but must be heated to a high temperature to release the oil; its therefore very expensive.

Question 51

Positive impacts of Shale oil

Answer 51

Environmental +Fossil fuels only account for 13% of Brazil’s energy mix- the oil helps to diversify the energy mix and to provide energy for where renewable supplies are intermittent (eg HEP during drought)

Question 52

Negative impacts of Shale oil

Answer 52

Environmental -Water in Guanabara Bay is too polluted to swim in -In 2000 1 million liters of oil was leaked into the bay which killed may species, plant species such as Mangroves still haven’t recovered Political -An estimated $2bn was siphoned off by politicians due to corruption Social -Local fisheries threatened by encroachment of oil industry

Question 53

Describe the extraction method of tar sands

Answer 53

Tar sands are a mixture of clay, sand, water and bitumen | The oil must be separated from the sands using very hot water diluted with lighter hydrocarbons

Question 54

Positive impacts of tar sands

Answer 54

Economic | +An expected $4trillion to go to the Canadian economy between 2015 and 2035 

Question 55

Negative impacts of Tar sands

Answer 55

Environmental -Landscape scarring due to mining process -Damage to ecosystems -8.5% of Canada’s greenhouse gases came from tar sands operations in 2013 -Estimated to contribute to global warming three times more than conventional oil Social -Local fisheries threatened Economic -Costs a lot of money to extract out of the ground

Question 56

Shale gas example

Answer 56

Barnett Shale, Texas In 2007, the Barnett shale gas field produced 1.11 trillion cubic feet of gas, making it the second-largest source of natural gas in the United States

Question 57

Shale oil example

Answer 57

Guanabara Bay, East coast of Brazil | Oilfield is 200-300km offshore

Question 58

Tar sands example

Answer 58

Alberta, Canada | 166 billion barrels of oil found here

Question 59

what percentage of the UK's energy is imported?

Answer 59

60% and theres only 50 years of coal left in the UK

Question 60

How is the Uk committed to decoupling the economy from fossil fuels?

Answer 60

>Increasing renewable energy >Develop a new generation of nuclear power stations >Reducing energy consumption >Recycling energy that would be wasted

Question 61

What is a strike price?

Answer 61

Where the government guarantees a minimum price per mega watt per hour (MwH)

Question 62

How long will Hinkley Point C nuclear power station provide energy for?

Answer 62

60 years

Question 63

How many homes will Quarrendon fields, Aylesbury supply? (wind power)

Answer 63

2000

Question 64

How much did Chapel lane solar farm (Christchurch) cost and how many homes does it supply?

Answer 64

£50 million 60,000 homes Largest solar farm in the UK