4.3 Flashcards

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1
Q

What does carbon dioxide form when combined with water

A

Carbonic acid (H2CO3)

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2
Q

What is carbonic acid

A

forms from water and CO2,

  • unstable
  • dissociates easily in water into hydrogen ions and hydrogen carbonate ions
  • lowers the pH of water to make it mroe acidic
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3
Q

What is another word for hydrogen carbonate ions

A

Bicarbonate ions

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4
Q

What requires d

A

issolved carbon dioxide and hydrogen carbonate ions

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4
Q

What do aquatic plants and other autotrophs require

A

dissolved carbon dioxide and hydrogen carbonate ions to produce more complex carbon compounds

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5
Q

What are stomata

A

Pores found on the underside of leaves which allow for gas exchange

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6
Q

How do aquatic plants adapt their leaves

A

adapt the stomata on the upper side for gas exchange

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7
Q

What is carbon dioxide used for in plants

A

for the Calvin cycle to make more complex carbon compounds

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8
Q

What does the Calvin cycle effect in the plant

A

produces complex carbon compounds and carbohydrates that lower the concentration of carbon dioxide in the plant, setting up a concentration gradient to help the carbon dioxide diffuse into the autotrophs

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9
Q

What is an anaerobic condition

A

environments that lack oxygen for aerobic respiration, also known as anoxic conditions

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10
Q

What is produced during fermentation in animal muscles

A

Lactate

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11
Q

What is produced during fermentation in yeast and plants

A

Ethanol and carbon dioxide

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12
Q

Which type of organisms convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbon compounds passed through the food chain?

A

Autotrophs

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13
Q

What is methane

A

CH4 - a carbon molecule which is produced in anoxic conditions and can oxidase into carbon dioxide and water

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14
Q

How is methane produced

A

by organic matter under anaerobic conditions by methanogenic archness

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15
Q

What are methanogenic archness

A

Bacteria that are found in several anoxic environments and produce methane as part of the carbon cycle

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16
Q

What are ruminants

A

mammals that have a mutualistic relationship with methanogenic archness that help them digest cellulose from the cell walls int he plants they eat. Creating methane

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17
Q

Where are methanogenic archness found

A

in anoxic environments, i.e, wetlands, swamps, marshes, guts of ruminants, termited and landfill sites.

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18
Q

what type of organic matter can be used for methane production?

A

manure from farm animals

cellulose from plants

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19
Q

What is hydrolysis

A

the chemical process of breaking large polymers into dimers or monomers using water

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20
Q

What is acidogenesis

A

the chemical process in which bacteria convert organic matter into organic acids and alcohol

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21
Q

What is acetogenesis

A

the chemical process in which bacteria convert organic acids and alcohol into acetate.

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22
Q

What is methanogenesis

A

the chemical process in which methanogenic bacteria can produce methane through the reaction of carbon dioxide and hydrogen or through the breakdown of acetate.

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23
Q

How is organic matter broken down by bacteria

A

ruminants chew on plants, breaking molecules into smaller monomers by hydrolysis

organic matter is changed to organic acids and alcohol by acidogenesis

bacteria converts organic acids and alcohol into acetate (acetogenesis), carbon dioxide and hydrogen

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24
Q

how is methane oxidized

A

in the upper layers of the atmosphere through the interaction of methane with hydroxyl radicals, which are highly reactive

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25
Q

what do saprotrophs digest

A

dead leaf matter and organic debris through an aerobic process

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26
Q

where can saprotrophs not grow

A

in anaerobic condition such as in waterlogged areas where the stagnant water makes it anaerobic

27
Q

what happens when no saprotrophs are present

A

the environment becomes progressively acidified over time and any surviving saprotrophs die and the remaining organic matter is only partially digested. results in peat

28
Q

How is peat formed

A

when organic matter is not fully decomposed because of acidic and or anaerobic conditions in waterlogged soils

new layers of leaf litter and organic debris falls on top of other layers of material, compressing it and resulting in peat

29
Q

Why is peat bad for the environment

A

peat contains CO2 which rapidly increasing greenhouse gas

30
Q

what is peat

A

partially digested organic matter that forms in acidic, water saturated soil, peat contains large amounts of carbon and can be compressed into coal after time.

31
Q

what are the uses of peat

A

can be a substitute for firewood for cooking and heating

increases moisture holding capacity of soil in horticulture

increases the water infiltration rate of soils rich in clay particles

acidifies soils for specific pot plants

32
Q

methanogens are archaeologist that are …

A

anaerobic organisms that obtain energy through the synthesis of methane from CO2 and H2 or acetate

33
Q

how is coal formed

A

if peat is covered by sediments as well as further compressed and heated over millions of years

34
Q

what are fossil fuels

A

organic material that has been compressed over time to form coal, oil and gas

35
Q

where can coal be found

A

in thick layers beneath the surface and is extracted through mining

36
Q

where can oil and gas be found

A

in porous rock, although gas is not in gaseous form

37
Q

what is combustion

A

a process of burin gin which releases CO2 from organic material such as fossil fuels or biomass

38
Q

how are fossil fuels removed from the environment

A

by autotrophs

39
Q

how can carbon dioxide, water and energy be formed

A

by combustion or burning of organic compounds and oxygen

40
Q

what can release as well CO2 into the atmosphere

A

thermal vents such as volcanoes, fumaroles

41
Q

what is a reservoir for carbon

A

atmosphere, sediments, sedimentary rocks, biomass, fossilized remains

42
Q

what is calcium carbonate

A

CaCO3, an important source of carbon in the environment which makes up shells and exoskeletons and can eventually become porous sedimentary rock such as limestone.

43
Q

what does calcium carbonate dissolve in

A

acid but not in alkaline solutions

44
Q

why can most sedimentary rocks form in the oceans such as limestone

A

because it is mostly alkaline

45
Q

give an example of a sedimentary rock

A

limestone

46
Q

how much of all sedimentary rocks on earth are limestone

A

around 10%

47
Q

how much carbon does limestone contain

A

approximately 12%

48
Q

what is lithification

A

is the process of compressing organic matter over a long period of time until it becomes a rock

49
Q

what organisms can become fossilized in limestone

A

coral, molluscs, starfish

50
Q

what is limestone made of

A

calcium carbonate

51
Q

what is a reservoir

A

a place where a certain element such as carbon has accumulated or pooled which is also known as a sink in the nutrient cycling .

52
Q

what is an inorganic form of carbon

A

carbon dioxide

53
Q

what is an organic form of carbon

A

biomass of autotrophs

54
Q

what is a flux

A

the process that moves an element from one reservoir or sink to another

55
Q

what is the atomsphere

A

the layer of gases surroundingg the earth

56
Q

what is the biota

A

the portion of the earth that consists of the living organisms

57
Q

what is the hydrosphere

A

the portion of the earth that consists of water including oceans,

58
Q

what is the lithosphere

A

the portion go the earth that consists of the crust and upper mantle

59
Q

what is one of the largest carbon sinks

A

in the lithosphere where carbon is found as sedimentary rock and fossil fuels.

60
Q

an example of a carbon flux

A

the conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide into glucose and other complex carbon compounds by autotrophs in photosynthesis

61
Q

draw a model of the carbon cycle

A

lithosphere: fossil carbon, fossil fuels lock carbon out of carbon cycle
burning of fossil fuels releases carbon

Biosphere: plant respiration, human/animal respiration, deforestation n communion of biomasss
atmosphere, atmospheric co2, photosynthesis, carbon enters soil via organic matter (decomposition)

Hydrosphere: dead marine life sediments
oceanic photosynthesis and respiration

62
Q

unit for measuring carbon

A

gigatonnes (GT)

63
Q

what is the main source of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

A

cellular respiration of both consumers and producers as well as the combustion of fossil fuels

64
Q

One explanation for the decrease in atmospheric CO2 level over the months of May to October in the Northern Hemisphere is:

A

summer, plants and animals photosynthesize at a fast rate