Carbon Cycle Eq1

Question 1

What is the carbon cycle

Answer 1

The exchange of carbon between it’s stores: terrestrial, ocean and atmosphere

Question 2

What is a carbon flux/flow

Answer 2

Process of transferring carbon between stores

Question 3

Why are movements in terrestrial, atmospheric and ocean stores more important to us

Answer 3

They are quicker and affect us more

Question 4

What is the flux with the shortest timescale

Answer 4

Plants absorb carbon from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, then release it again through respiration

Question 5

What is the longest flux

Answer 5

Organic matter that is buried in sediments slowly transforms into fossil fuels which we release back into the atmosphere when we burn them

Question 6

What two ways are sedimentary rocks formed

Answer 6

• dead organic matter falls to the bottom of oceans and lakes, where it is buried under silt and mud, lots of layers build up on top and compress it, turning it into shale
• sea creatures use calcium carbonate to form shells, they die and fall to the bottom of the ocean, they form layers and are lithified into rock

Question 7

What is the slow carbon cycle

Answer 7

• CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid
• silicate weathering occurs and forms bicarbonate ions
• bicarbonate ions are used by animals for shells - turns into rock
• when rock subducts as part of earths crust , rocks go through metamorphism and release carbon dioxide - or is released through volcanic outgassing

Question 8

What is silicate weathering

Answer 8

Carbonic acid reacts with silicate rock to form soluble bicarbonate ions

Question 9

What is carbon sequestration

Answer 9

The capture of carbon from the atmosphere by the ocean, vegetation or sedimentary rocks where it is stored

Question 10

Whatnare the three ocean pumps

Answer 10

Biological
Physical
Carbonate

Question 11

What is the biological pump

Answer 11

Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is absorbed by the phytoplankton through photosynthesis - carbon is either released through respiration or when animals die and fall to the bottom of the ocean

Question 12

What is the carbonate pump

Answer 12

Carbon is transferred from silicate rock into carbon rich sediment (other flashcard on how sedimentary rock is formed)

Question 13

What is the physical pump

Answer 13

Thermohaline circulation moved warm water from surface of the ocean to cooler areas of world
Cool water absorbs more carbon
Cool water then sinks as it is denser (down welling)
In other areas, thermohaline circulation moves cool water to the surface where carbon is released back into the atmosphere