Carbon Cycle

Question 1

Cycling Matter

Answer 1

Cycling nutrients and matter through the earths 4 sphere is essential to sustain life.

How levels of various elements are maintained in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere

Interactions between various sphere enable a flow of matter, including but not limited to the following:
Oxygen
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
Carbon

Question 2

Importance of Carbon

Answer 2

Carbon is the fourth most abundant element on earth.

Main component of cells from carbon make up 18% of the human body.

Carbon can be used to identify the age of artefacts and fossils by looking at how much carbon 14 has made.

Carbon can form long-chained molecules which are the basis for fats, carbohydrates, DNA and proteins.

Carbon is a component of fuels (coal and gas)

Question 3

Carbon Sources

Answer 3

Combustion: Burning of fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide.

Forest fires: They release the carbon that was stored in plants into the atmosphere.

Respiration: Plants and animals release carbon into the atmosphere.

Question 4

Carbon Sources Continued

Answer 4

Volcanoes: Release carbon into the atmosphere.

Decomposition: Releases carbon into the air, soil and water.

As a result of oceans increasing in temperature, calcium carbonate in oceans is broken down leading to higher carbon levels and ocean acidification.

Question 5

Carbon sinks

Answer 5

Plants: They absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and store carbon as sugar in their cells

Ocean: Absorbs carbon dioxide in an absorbed form.

Compaction: Stores carbon dioxide in the from of rocks and fossil fuels

Shells: Some marine organisms and some terrestrial organisms are made from calcium carbonate

Question 6

Carbon Cycle

Answer 6

Is the transferral of carbon source to a carbon sink vice versa