Cycles and interactions

Question 1

Water cycle purposes

Answer 1

regulates temp of earth
changes weather, creates rain
–> erosion processes
circulates important minerals through spheres
creates geological water features

Question 2

energy required for evaporation can come from…

Answer 2

sun (radiation)
atmosphere (convection)
Earth (conduction)

Question 3

define transpiration

Answer 3

evaporation of water through plant membranes

Question 4

carbon stores

Answer 4

atmosphere
plants
soil / organic matter
coal / oil / gas
ocean surface and deep ocean
sediments + rock

Question 5

which ocean is a very important carbon sink?

Answer 5

the Southern Ocean especially because it is very COLD and ROUGH and hence absorbs greater amounts of CO2

Question 6

how does ocean C –> rock C

Answer 6

Phytoplankton use CO2 to build shells
when they die they sink (MARINE SNOW) and are compressed into limestone

Question 7

ways C enters Atmosphere

Answer 7

respiration of organisms + methane release (when organisms die and decompose)
burning of fossil fuels
volcanic eruptions
melting permafrost

Question 8

ways C exits atmosphere

Answer 8

photosynthesis of plants

Ocean as a C pump (C fluxes):
Physical - solubility in oceans, can be transported to deep ocean
Biological - organisms photosynthesise / use CO2

Question 9

transport of matter

Answer 9

water: between surface and atmosphere, and water cycle

gases: by temp and pressure differences, wind

Solid matter: by air and ocean currents, erosion and weathering processes

Aerosols: enter atm and carried by wind, may enter stratosphere and stay there for a long time