Concepts Flashcards
What is the main source of carbon for photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere.
What process converts atmospheric CO₂ into glucose in plants?
Photosynthesis.
How does carbon return to the atmosphere during cellular respiration?
As carbon dioxide (CO₂) released by organisms.
What are carbon sinks, and give an example?
Areas that absorb more carbon than they release, like forests.
Name two processes that directly cycle carbon between the atmosphere and biosphere.
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
How are fossil fuels formed?
From the buried remains of plants and animals under heat and pressure over millions of years.
What human activities disrupt the carbon cycle?
Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and landfill waste.
What is the impact of the greenhouse effect on Earth’s systems?
It traps heat, leading to global climate change.
How does the hydrosphere act as a carbon sink?
Oceans absorb and store large amounts of carbon dioxide.
What is the law of conservation of mass, and how does it apply to the carbon cycle?
Matter cannot be created or destroyed; carbon changes form but its total amount remains constant.
What role do decomposers play in the carbon cycle?
They break down dead organisms, releasing carbon back into the soil and atmosphere.
What is the effect of deforestation on atmospheric carbon levels?
It increases CO₂ levels by reducing the number of trees that absorb it.
What are the four Earth spheres involved in the carbon cycle?
Atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
Why is composting a good practice for managing the carbon cycle?
It allows organic material to decompose naturally, recycling carbon into the soil.
How does ocean acidification occur?
Excess CO₂ absorbed by oceans lowers the pH, harming marine life.
