Carbon Cycle: KEYWORDS

Question 1

Carbon Dioxide

Answer 1

A colourless, odorless gas produced burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. It is naturally present in air (about 0.03 percent) and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.

Question 2

Thermohaline circulation

Answer 2

an oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of surface water and deep water

Question 3

Anthracite

Answer 3

the cleanest-burning coal; almost pure carbon

Question 4

Positive feedback loop

Answer 4

A feedback loop in which change in a system is amplified

Question 5

Net energy

Answer 5

the amount of high-quality energy that is available to be used from a resource after subtracting the energy needed to make it usable

Question 6

Tipping point

Answer 6

the point at which a fundamental shift in the behavior of a system occurs

Question 7

Keeling Curve

Answer 7

A graph made over the span of 50 years that shows the increase in carbon dioxide

Question 8

Kuznets curve

Answer 8

As per capita increases, environmental degradation first increases and then decreases

Question 9

Diagenesis

Answer 9

The physical and chemical changes occuring during the conversation of sediment to sedimentary rock

Question 10

Phytoplankton

Answer 10

Photosynthetic algae found near the surface of the ocean