Carbon Cycle

Question 1

transfer of carbon within the cycle is measured in…

Answer 1

gigatonnes of carbon per year (GtC/year)

Question 2

lithosphere

Answer 2

hard, rigid outer layer of the earth including pedosphere where soil is formed

Question 3

GLODAP

Answer 3

Global Ocean Data Analysis Project

Question 4

where does peat form

Answer 4

in wetland areas with little oxygen flow and slow decomposition rates

Question 5

major stores of carbon

Answer 5

lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere

Question 6

natural movements of carbon

Answer 6

photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, oceanic carbon pumps, volcanic activity

Question 7

human movements of carbon

Answer 7

fuel extraction and burning, farming, deforestation, urban growth, carbon sequestration

Question 8

human and natural movements of carbon

Answer 8

combustion and wildfires, weathering

Question 9

effects of the changing carbon budget on oceans

Answer 9

ocean warming, acidification, salinity, sea level rise, melting sea ice

Question 10

effects of the changing carbon budget on the atmosphere

Answer 10

greenhouse effect, radiative forcing

Question 11

effects of the changing carbon budget on land

Answer 11

land use decisions (human), removal by plants (physical)

Question 12

methods of climate change mitigation

Answer 12

carbon capture and sequestration technologies (CCS), changing rural land use, improved aviation practices

Question 13

anthropogenic co2

Answer 13

carbon dioxide generated by human activity

Question 14

biosphere

Answer 14

total sum of all living matter

Question 15

carbon sequestration

Answer 15

capture of co2 from the atmosphere/anthropogenic co2 from large-scale stationary sources before released then put into long-term storage

Question 16

carbon sink

Answer 16

a store of carbon that absorbs more than it releases

Question 17

greenhouse gas

Answer 17

any gaseous compound in atmos. that is capable of absorbing infrared radiation so trapping/holding heat

Question 18

weathering

Answer 18

breakdown of rocks in situ by a combination of weather, plants, animals

Question 19

geo-sequestration

Answer 19

technology of capturing greenhouse gas emissions from power stations and pumping them into underground reservoirs

Question 20

radiative forcing

Answer 20

difference between the incoming solar energy absorbed by the earth and energy radiated back into space

Question 21

soil organic carbon (SOC)

Answer 21

the organic constituents in the soil- tissues from dead plants/animals, products from decomposition of these, soil microbial biomass

Question 22

isolated systems

Answer 22

no interactions with anything outside the system boundary - no input/output of energy/matter

Question 23

closed system

Answer 23

have transfers of energy both into and beyond the system boundary but not transfer of matter

Question 24

open systems

Answer 24

matter and energy can be transferred from the system across the boundary into surrounding environment

Question 25

dynamic equilibrium

Answer 25

state when there is a balance between the inputs and outputs of a system

Question 26

positive feedback

Answer 26

where the effects of an action are amplified/multiplied by subsequent secondary effects

Question 27

negative feedback

Answer 27

where the effects of an action are nullified by its subsequent knock-on effects

Question 28

cascading system

Answer 28

an open system that forms part of a chain e.g. earth - has 4 major subsystems each open