earth life support system definitions Flashcards
photosynthesis
when plants convert water and carbon into starch and sugar
respiration
in living organisms where intake of oxygen produces energy and releases CO2
decomposition
breakdown of animals and plant structures by bacteria and releases carbon into the atmosphere
combustion
the burning of organic materials which released CO2
natural sequestation
the process of capturing and storing carbon in ocean, soil, and vegetation
weathering
breakdown of rocks by physical, chemical, and biological processes
differences between slow and fast carbon cycle
Slow: processes that move through the earth’s crust and take millions of years to complete
eg. ocean, soil, atmosphere sequestation
Fast: carbon processes that go between atmosphere and biosphere and can be completed within years
eg. combustion, photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition
difference between organic and inorganic carbon in the oceans
organic carbon is incorporated in a living thing while inorganic isnt
key stores and flows in the carbon cycle
stores: trees, soil, ocean, atmosphere
flows: diffusion between ocean and atmosphere, combustion from industrial plants, upwelling and downwelling between surface and deep ocean, sedimentation at the ocean floor, burning of fossil fuels in industrial plants
Evaporation
Liquid water turning into water vapour
Transpiration
when water evaporates from the pores of the surface of the leaves
condensation
when water vapour turns into liquid water
precipitation
when moisture falls from the clouds to the ground
interception
when parts of the rainfall gets intercepted by vegetation
ablation
the natural removal of surface snow and ice
run off
when there is more water than the land can absorb
infiltration
the downward movement of water from the surface into the soil
percolation
the movement of water through the soil
throughflow
downward movement of water within the soil
groundwater flow
the deeper movement of water through the underlying permeable rock layer that is below the water table
cryospheric processes
processes involving ice sheets and glaciers
what can influence the relative significance of flows and stores in water cycle
relief
geology
key stores and flows in the water cycle
stores: atmosphere, ocean, soil, vegetation
flows: precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, throughflow, interflow, groundwater flow, base flow, evaporation, transpiration
