Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geography - W & C > Carbon Cycle > Flashcards

Carbon Cycle Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Geography flashcards World Geography flashcards
1
Q

Where can carbon be found in the lithosphere

A
  1. 9% of carbon on earth stored in sedimentary rocks

0. 004% stored in fossil fuels in lithosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Where can carbon be found in the atmosphere

A

Stored as CO2 and methane

Contains around 0.001% of earths carbon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Where can carbon be found in the hydrosphere

A

CO2 dissolved in rivers / lakes / oceans
Oceans = 2nd biggest carbon store = approx 0.4% of Earths carbon
Majority deep in ocean as dissolved inorganic carbon
Small amount found at ocean surface where it is exchanged w atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Where can carbon be found in the biosphere

A

Stored in tissues of living organisms
Transferred when die and decay
0.004% or Earths carbon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Where can carbon be found in the cryosphere

A

Less than 0.01%

In the soil in permafrost where decomposed plants and animals have frozen in the ground

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What type of system is the carbon cycle

A

Closed system

Inputs / outputs of energy change but amount of carbon the same

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Main carbon stores

A 
Atmosphere 
Vegetation
Soils
Fossil fuels
Sediment 
Oceans 
Earths crust
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Main carbon flows (from stores)

A 
Respiration 
Burning fossil fuels
Combustion
Ocean loss
Volcanic eruption
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Main carbon flows (to stores)

A 
Photosynthesis 
Sequestration 
Chemical rock weathering
Decomposition 
Death
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by photosynthesis change over time

A

Atmosphere ➡️biomass
Plants & phytoplankton use energy from the sun to change CO2 and water into glucose and O2
Carbon passed through food chain and released through respiration and decomposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by respiration change over time

A

Living organisms ➡️ atmosphere

Glucose + o2 ➡️ CO2 + methane

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by combustion change over time

A

biomass ➡️ atmosphere by burning

Wildfires cause carbon flow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by decomposition change over time

A

Dead biomass ➡️ atmosphere & soil
Bacteria and fungi break the organisms down- CO2 and methane released
Some carbon transferred to soil in form of humus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by ocean uptake and loss change over time

A

CO2 dissolved directly into ocean from atmosphere
Also transferred to oceans when it is taken up by organisms
Ocean ➡️ atmosphere when carbon rich water rises and releases CO2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by weathering change over time

A

Chemical weathering ➡️ hydro and biosphere
Atmospheric carbon reacts with water vapour to form acid rain
Dissolves the rocks - molecules washed into sea - react w dissolved CO2 to make CaCO3 - used to make shells

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How does the amount of carbon stored by sequestration change over time

A

Carbon from atmosphere can be sequestered in sedimentary rocks or as fossil fuels
Carbon in fossil fuels is sequestered until burnt

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How do carbon flows vary in time and space

A

FAST NON ORGAIN CARBON FLOWS- ocean ➡️ atmosphere exchange of CO2 through diffusion
FAST CARBON FLOWS- minutes / hours / days - photosynthesis, respiration , combustion
SLOW CARBON FLOWS - years and years - e.g. sequestration
SPATIAL SCALE - plant scale - respiration & photosynthesis
-ecosystem scale - + combustion and decomposition
- continental scale - all carbon flows occur

18
Q

How do wildfires impact the carbon cycle

A

Biomass ➡️ atmosphere
Loss of veg ⬇️ photosynthesis, less carbon removed from atmosphere
Fires can encourage growth of new plants - take in CO2
Can have neutral affect on level of atmospheric carbon
Depends on amount and type of regrowth

19
Q

How does volcanic activity impact the carbon cycle

A

Carbon stored in lithosphere as magma is released in an eruption- majority CO2
Recent ones have released less CO2 than human activities would in same amount of time
E.g. Iceland eruption 2009 = flights cancelled = neutral effect
Potential for eruption to affect cycle significantly

20
Q

How does hydrocarbon extraction and use impact the carbon cycle

A

Extracting and burning releases CO2 into atmosphere ➡️ EGE and climate change
W/out human intervention, carbon would remain sequestered

21
Q

How does deforestation impact the carbon cycle

A

Forests may be cleared for agriculture , logging or to make way for developments
Clearance reduces size of carbon store and, if forest burned, rapid flow of carbon from bio to atmosphere
20% of global carbon emissions
EGE and climate change

22
Q

How do farming practices impact the carbon cycle

A

ANIMALS release CO2 and methane when respire and digest
PLOUGHING release CO2 stored in soil / machinery burns fossil fuels
GROWING RICE in paddies releases lots of methane - 20% global emissions - primary food source for 50% or population
MOST ARTIFICIAL FERTILISERS made from fossil fuels - spread then leads to leaching

23
Q

How does world population affect emissions form farming practices

A

⬆️ world population ⬆️ food production ⬆️ carbon emissions from farming practices

24
Q

How do land use changes impact the carbon cycle

A

Extensive ➡️ intensive farming practices = growing demand for food from growing population
Especially meat in growing China middle classes
Deforestation + planting of palm oil palms & soya plantations + conversion of forest to grassland for grazing
Urbanisation - ⬆️ area covered - removes carbon sinks
⬆️ industry and transport - ⬆️ fossil fuels
Production of cement for building releases CO2

25
Q

What is the carbon budget

A

The difference between the inputs and outputs of carbon into a system
Balance of inputs / outputs into a subsystem determines whether it acts as a source or sink

26
Q

How does atmosphere and climate impact the carbon cycle

A

Carbon cycle affects the amount of gases containing carbon in the atmosphere
Greenhouse gases trap some of the suns energy - keep some of heat in and keep planet warm
As concentrations of GG increase - temperatures expected to rise - global warming
Changes in temperature across globe will affect other aspects of climate e.g. storms will become more intense

27
Q

How does land impact the carbon cycle

A

Carbon cycle allows plant growth (photosynthesis) ➡️also no decomposition and so dead plants would remain where they fell and nutrients would not be recycled
Changes in carbon cycle can ⬇️ amount of carbon ststored in land
E.g. ⬆️temps ➡️permafrost melt ➡️ ⬆️carbon inatmosphere
⬆️Global temps = ⬆️frequency of wildfires

28
Q

How do oceans impact the carbon cycle

A

CO2 dissolved directly into oceans from atmosphere
CO2 used by phytoplankton and seaweed (photosynthesis) and to form calcium carbonate shells
⬆️ in CO2 = ⬆️ acidity of oceans - initially absorb more CO2 ➡️ adverse affects on marine life

29
Q

How can global warming affect oceans?

A

Organisms sensitive to temperature (e.g. phytoplankton)
Can’t withstand higher temps
Numbers ⬇️ - ⬇️ CO2 used by them for photosynthesis
⬇️ carbon removed from atmosphere

30
Q

How much more CO2 is in atmosphere than in 1750

A

40%

31
Q

What is IPCC

A

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Set up by UN to share knowledge of climate change

32
Q

How can individuals mitigate impacts of climate change

A

Use cars less and buy more fuel efficient cars

Make homes more energy efficient

33
Q

How can regions and nations mitigate impacts of climate change

A

Reduce reliance of FF for heating and powering home
⬆️ availability and ⬇️ cost of renewable energy sources
Afforestation and restoring degraded forests - ⬆️ uptake
Planners cam ⬆️ sustainability of places - public transport/ green spaces
CCS

34
Q

How can the globe mitigate impacts of climate change

A

Countries work together to reduce emissions
Kyoto protocol (1997) and Paris (2015)
International carbon trading schemes - credits

35
Q

What is the natural greenhouse effect

A

Gases prevent some energy escaping into space and reflect back to earth. This means temps on earth higher than they otherwise would be

36
Q

What is the EGE

A

When additional GGs reflect more energy back to earth than natural greenhouse effect - ⬆️temps even further
Human activities are ⬆️ conc of GGs in atmosphere
Thought to be cause of global warming

37
Q

Positive feedback water cycle

A

Temps ⬆️
Evaporation ⬆️
⬆️ amount of water vapour in atmosphere
Greenhouse effect ⬆️

38
Q

Negative feedback water cycle

A 
Temps ⬆️
Evaporation ⬆️
Water vapour in atmosphere ⬆️
⬆️cloud cover reflects more of suns energy
Temps ⬇️
39
Q

Positive feedback carbon cycle

A

Temps ⬆️
Plant respiration rate ⬆️
Amount of CO2 in atmosphere ⬆️
Greenhouse effect ⬆️

40
Q

Negative feedback carbon cycle

A

CO2 in atmosphere ⬆️
Plant growth ⬆️
Plants remove and store ⬆️ CO2
CO2 in atmosphere ⬇️

Geography - W & C (2 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions