Carbon Cycles

Question 1

Lithosphere

Answer 1

carbon stored in the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle

Question 2

Cryosphere

Answer 2

carbon

Question 3

Cryosphere

Answer 3

carbon stored in frozen water on earth

Question 4

Atmosphere

Answer 4

carbon in the air, accounts for 750pgs of carbon

Question 5

Deforestation

Answer 5

the cutting down or ‘burn and slash’ technique used on trees

Question 6

Photosynthesis

Answer 6

process used by plants converting light into chemical energy, opposite to respiration

Question 7

Respiration

Answer 7

uses oxygen to make CO2, converting oxygen into organic compounds suchas sugars, fats and proteins

Question 8

Decomposition

Answer 8

break down the dead organisms and return the carbon in their bodies to the atmosphere

Question 9

Combustion

Answer 9

occurs when material is burned, normally fossil fuels such as oil and coal

Question 10

Burial

Answer 10

carbon removed into long term storage by burial into igneous rocks

Question 11

Compaction

Answer 11

happens when plant and animal waste gathers faster than its decomposed, transforms into fossil fuels

Question 12

Carbon Sequestration

Answer 12

the long term mitigation strategy storing cabron dioxide

Question 13

Wild Fires - total area burnt yearly and percentage started by wildfires?

Answer 13

Forest fires can release more carbon than trees can capture, they burn 4 million km2 of the earths surface. Only 10% of wildfires start by fires

Question 14

How does volcanic activity regarding plate boundaries release carbon?

Answer 14

During subduction of the oceanic plate heated rock recombines into silicate minerals releasing CO2

Question 15

Hydrocarbon fuel extraction

Answer 15

hydrocarbons are chemical compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon

Question 16

Carbon budget

Answer 16

tolerable quantity of greenhouse gases that can be emitted in total