carbon cycle Flashcards
what is the carbon cycle
the continous movement of carbon around the 5 stores
where is the biggest store of carbon
the lithosphere
why is the lithosphere the best store
because carbon is hard to escape and can be stored for the longest
what is carbon sequestration
the capture and storage of carbon from the atmosphere
CCS
carbon capture and storage
what does ccs attempt to do
capture 90% of CO2 from the atmosphere
what is the trillion tree project
a pla nt oplant 1 trillion treets by 2050
what is wrong with the 1 trillion tree project
only 2% has been completed
what is geologic sequestration
the storage of carbon in the lithosphere in the form of rocks
what is a carbon sink
something that traps more carbon than it releases
what is a carbon flux
the exchange of carbon between the 5 sources
what is terrestrial sequestration
the capture and storage of carbon in plants and trees
how is carbon stored in the lithosphere
it is turned into a liquid through industrial processes and injected into underwater stores
what are the advantages of geologic sequestration
stores a long time and hard to escape
what is ocean acidifcation
when the oceans PH levels become more saline/ less alkaline. since 1750 oceans have had a 30% change in acidity.
what is a net carbon sink
when more carbon enters a store than leaves it
what is the carbon budget
the total level of carbon allowed to be releases into the atmosphere over a specific time
what is the keeling curve
a curve which shows how carbon particles have changed overtime.
what are current carbon PPM measures
413
what were co2 levels like 500 million years ago
20x higher
where is carbon stored in the lithosphere
stored inorganically or organically
organic= coal, oil, gas
inorganic=peat,litter,humus
where is carbon stored in the hydrosphere
-surface layer
-intermediate
-deep layer
-organisms
where is carbon stored in the biosphere
in organisms and vegetation
what is the IPCC
intergovemental panel on climate change
what will happen when global temps surpass 2 degrees
positive feedback loops
what is ocean sequestration
the storage of water in the oceans by dissolving it, organisms such has phytoplankton synthesize and trap the carbon
what impact are raising co2 levels having on the land
-higher temps lead to more fires and droughts
-more photosynthesis
-permafrost feedback loops
impact on atmosphere of co2 levels
20% of c02 may remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years, increased greenhouse gases have absorbed more energy from the sun
why are greenhouse gases good
without them the earth would be frozen
why are greenhouse gases bad
they trap heat
what is the enhanced greenhouse effect
where extra co2 in the atmosphere has caused radiative forcing
what is radiative forcing
the difference between isolation absorbed by the earth and energy radiated back to space
what is insolation
the energy from the sun
what is insulation
how much heat is trapped in the earth
example of a carbon sink
trees
how much of earths surfaces do fires burn ever yeyar
3-4million km2
how much co2 do burning trees release each year
billions
what % of the atmosphere does co2 take up
0.04%
what was atmospheric co2 ppm in 1958 compared to now
318 and now 413
what is combustion
the release of co2 from burning
what is photosynthesis
the process of vegetation turning co2 into oxygen
how has carbon changed over time
in cambrian times levels were above 4000 ppm, before industrialisation levels had never surpassed 300, but are now 413
humans factors to changing carbon
-pollution
-burning
-deforestation
-land use change
-farming
natural factors leading to changing carbon
-wildfires
-volcanos
