carbon cycle

Question 1

Carbon cycle

Answer 1

The process in which carbon moves through our earth ( short term and long term)

Question 2

Greenhouse effect

Answer 2

a natural process in which certain gases in the atmosphere trap in heat radiated by earth

Question 3

Greenhouse gases

Answer 3

co2(carbon dioxide), CH4 (methane), H2O(water vapor),ect.

Question 4

Interstadial events

Answer 4

intervals lasting a few hundred to thousand years during which icey land(greenland) warms up rapidly then cools at first slowly then quickly - not predicted by milankivitch

Question 5

Carbon cycle changes/imbalance

Answer 5

there is an increase in emission from eco-systems and increase in emissions from human activity. there is a decrease in global eco-systems capacity to absorb greenhouse gases.

Question 6

Carbon reservoirs/sinks

Answer 6

a reservoirs where some form of carbon is stored ex- oceans, rocks, atmosphere

Question 7

respiration

Answer 7

breathing (co2)

Question 8

photosynthesis

Answer 8

plants absorbing co2

Question 9

combustion

Answer 9

burning

Question 10

weathering

Answer 10

carbon stored in rocks

Question 11

decomposition

Answer 11

plants and animals break down to basic elements

Question 12

short term carbon cycle

Answer 12

This cycle operates over one to a few hundreds of years. ​
works by photosynthesis of green plants, the largest contribution comes from ocean surface phytoplankton

respiration and decomposition

The short-term carbon cycle refers to the circulation of carbon among the surface reservoirs: the ocean, the atmosphere, the soil, and the biosphere (Figure 2). As noted, this cycling can be rapid, taking from months to decades to centuries. In the land-based part of the short-term carbon cycle, photosynthesis removes carbon from the atmosphere. The reaction for photosynthesis, which is driven by sunlight,

Question 13

long term carbon cycle

Answer 13

​​It operates over thousands to hundreds of thousands of years through the land and oceans. In both cases the organic carbon from dead life forms is pressurized over ages of time to form solid fossil carbon.

​​On land this is fossil carbon- coal, oil and gas. The coal we burn up in no time took millions of years to form.

​​The ocean process forms rock- limestone and dolomite. This starts with the minute ocean surface plants called phytoplankton. This is how most of the carbon dioxide gets absorbed. Through the ocean food chain the carbon gets converted by shell forming organisns to calcium carbonite. Through ages of time and pressure in the ocean floor sediment, calcium carbonate based rock is formed- limestone and dolomite.

We are rapidly returning this carbon to the atmosphere by burning it. Land fossil carbon we burn to produce heat energy as fossil fuels. ​Limestone we burn to make cement.

Question 14

largest carbon resevior

Answer 14

ocean

Question 15

what does carbon in the atmosphere do for our planet

Answer 15

absorbs visible light(sunlight) and keeps most of the heat in. the trees release co2 so when there is trees it becomes hotter.

Question 16

how do humans lead to an imbalance

Answer 16

we burn fossil fuels, which releases more co2, when there is too much co2 there becomes an imbalance

Question 17

What are the 3 cycles that are closely related to historical climate change in Earth’s past? Describe them. What are the lengths of these cycles?

Answer 17

Eccentricity– Over a time period of 100,000 years, the orbit ranges from being a nearly perfect circle to being an oval and back to a near-circle again. provides more sunlight to different parts of the earth based on which side is closer to the sun in its orbit

tilt– The earth’s tilt, causes the seasons, one side is getting more sunlight ehich affects climate, 40,000 years

precession–The precession is how much the earth wobbles on its axis. it takes 20,000 and it affects the amount of sunlight each hemp. gets

Question 18

what cycle does milankavitch coincide with?

Answer 18

the basic climate cycle

Question 19

how are ice layers similar to tree trunks

Answer 19

they both hav layers from several past years

rings and layers help determine age

Question 20

why is data from older ice less reliable

Answer 20

bc as it gets older the pressure that has been exerted on the ice cores has caused more and more distoration and it becomes hard to read

Question 21

what are the five secrets

Answer 21

ice remembrance, thickness of ice layers, dust particles, oxygen isotopes, air bubbles

Question 22

air bubbles

Answer 22

ancient air gets trapped as gas forms

we extract the air from the ice core adn we study it to see all the molecules and determine its composition knowing comp. and greenhouse affect so we can estimate temp.

Question 23

thickness of layers

Answer 23

thicker layers= more percip. that shows there was a warmer climate bc there was more room for moisture

Question 24

isotopes

Answer 24

water can be heavier if it contains isotopes of oxygyn that have an extra neutron

when humid air is cold, heavier h2o falls first and by the time the air hits land only light h2o remains– so if you mostly see h2o you know it was colder

Question 25

wind blown materials

Answer 25

coaser dust= greater winds

composition of dust=trace its origin and wind patterns