Climate Section 5

Question 1

What is the carbon cycle

Answer 1

The process in which carbon is stored in and transferred between living organisms, the Earth, atmosphere and the hydrosphere.

Question 2

How did trees and coal affect the carbon cycle

Answer 2

Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. 365 million years ago, trees evolved and took a lot of carbon dioxide. These trees eventually were buried and became coal. Today, people mine this coal and release the carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.

Question 3

How does burning fossil fuels release greenhouse gases

Answer 3

The fossil fuels releases chemical energy in heat. The heat heats water and makes steam. Steam turns a turbine. Then a generator takes the mechanical energy and makes it into electrical energy.

Question 4

What is the Keeling Curve

Answer 4

Its a graph which shows the exponential increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide over time. It also shows small changes in seasonal cycles.