Carbon cycle

Question 1

what is carbon?

Answer 1

one of the most chemically versatile elements
forms more compounds than any other elements
can be gas liquid or solid

Question 2

where is carbon found?

Answer 2

found in all life forms as well as sedimentary rock

Question 3

where contains the largest proportion of carbon?

Answer 3

the worlds oceans and rocks contain the largest proportions of carbon

Question 4

what is recycling of carbon essential for?

Answer 4

essential for life on earth, enables food to be provided for plants and animals and energy sources are created to fuel industrial development

Question 5

what is carbon found in?

Answer 5

organic stores- living things

inorganic stores - rock gasses and fossil fuels

Question 6

what are some examples of carbon compounds?

Answer 6

hydrocarbons 
c02
CH4
CAC03
bio-molecules

Question 7

what is the primary source of carbon?

Answer 7

the earth’s interior

Question 8

where was carbon stores?

Answer 8

stored in the mantle when the earth formed and it escapes at constructive and destructive plate boundaries

Question 9

where does some carbon remain?

Answer 9

some remains as C02 in the atmosphere, some is dissolved in the oceans, held in biomass in living/dead organisms

Question 10

what are the main stores of carbon now?

Answer 10

lithosphere
hydrosphere
cryosphere
atmosphere
biosphere

Question 11

what are carbon changes over time known as?

Answer 11

fluxes

Question 12

are carbon stores evenly distrbuted?

Answer 12

no

Question 13

what is a carbon source?

Answer 13

a carbon releases more carbon than it releases

Question 14

what is a carbon sink?

Answer 14

a carbon sink is a store that absorbs more carbon than it releases

Question 15

what are carbon transfers?

Answer 15

processes that transfer carbon between the stores

Question 16

how much carbon is in fossil fuel deposits?

Answer 16

4000 billions of metric tonnes

Question 17

how much carbon is in the atmosphere?

Answer 17

750 billions of metric tonnes

Question 18

how much carbon is in marine and sedimentary rock?

Answer 18

100,000 billions of metric tonnes

Question 19

how much carbon is in terrestrial plants?

Answer 19

560 billions of metric tonnes?

Question 20

how much carbon is in the ocean?

Answer 20

38,000 billions of metric tonnes?

Question 21

how much carbon is in soil organic matter?

Answer 21

1500 billions of metric tonnes

Question 22

fossil fuel deposits

Answer 22

• hydrocarbons are important long term stores of carbon
• since industrial revolution have been exploited for heat and power
• resulting combustion has pumped huge amounts of C02 into atmosphere

Question 23

atmopshere

Answer 23

carbon is held in atmosphere in form of c02 the amount has increased due to power stations vehicles and deforestation

Question 24

marine sediments and sedimentary rock

Answer 24

largest store of carbon. it is a long term store with rocks taking millions of years to form

Question 25

terrestrial plants

Answer 25

plants can store carbon for years and transfer it into the soil. deforestation releases it back into the atmosphere

Question 26

oceans

Answer 26

since the industrial revolution the oceans have absorbed more CO2 from the air due to increased carbon emissions

Question 27

soil organic matter

Answer 27

carbon can remain in soils for hundreds of years. deforestation land use changes and soil erosion can however release stored carbon very rapidly