EQ 1

Question 1

Stores of carbon

Answer 1

Atmosphere = Layer of gasses around Earth:

• Carbon is stored as CO2 & methane CH4

Hydrosphere = Sources of H2O on Earth:

• Carbon is stored as dissolved CO2

Lithosphere = Rock layer of Earth:

• Carbon’s stored as carbonate in limestones & chalk & fossil fuels
• There’s pure carbon in graphite & diamond

Biosphere = Living layer on Earth:

• Carbon is stored as carbon atoms in living & dead organisms

Question 2

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 2

• The carbon cycle is the exchange of carbon between the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans and sediments

Question 3

What do we measure carbon in?

Answer 3

• Petagrams (Pg)

Question 4

Fast fluxes vs slow fluxes

Answer 4

Fast carbon cycle:

• The biological or terrestrial carbon cycle is known as the fast carbon cycle.
• Plants absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and releases it through respiration & decomposition (dead plants)

Slow carbon cycle:

• Plankton dies and sinks to ocean floor.
• This carbon held in them in stored for a long time (carbonate rock)
• This is the slow/geological carbon cycle
• This moves to the atmosphere when volcanic eruptions happen.

Question 5

The important stores and fluxes

Answer 5

• Outgassing = Terrestrial/biological carbon is released through volcanic eruptions.
• Chemical weathering = Acid rain dissolves rocks containing carbon releasing bicarbonates.
• Deposition = Carbon sediments are transported to the ocean through rivers and are deposited
• Subduction = Rocks that contain carbon get subducted at plate boundaries and emerge in volcanic eruptions.
• Organic matter = Carbon in plants, animal shells and skeletons sink to the ocean floor and builds up layers to coal, chalk and limestone
• Metamorphic rocks = The heating along subduction plate boundaries changes sedimentary rocks creating metamorphic rocks that releases CO2 from rocks

Question 6

Carbon sequestration

Answer 6

• This takes in carbon from the atmosphere by removing and storing it in oceans, forests and soils.
• Occurs through photosynthesis
• Prevents too much carbon staying in the atmosphere
• It’s important because it regulates the planetary temperature balance

Question 7

Different pumps

Answer 7

Biological pump:

• CO2 is diffused into the ocean from the atmosphere and dissolved into surface.
• Phytoplankton absorbs CO2 and turns it into organic compounds.
• Phytoplankton are eaten by zooplankton which are eaten by fish (food chain).
• Some CO2 is released back into ocean by respiration.

Carbonate pump:

• When animals die, their bodies sink to the bottom of the ocean.
• This turns into hard carbonate rock storing carbon over a long period of time.

Physical pump:

• Bacteria deep in the ocean decompose dead animals.
• This helps carbon reach the sea floor.
• Allows global ocean currents to move carbon from the surface to deep waters.

Thermohaline Circulation:

• Ocean current produce vertical and horizontal circulations of warm and cold water around the oceans in the world.
• In North Atlantic, cold and salty water sinks due to its density & weight
• This draws in water from the surface pulling water across the ocean surface from the tropics.
• This draws cold water up from the ocean creating circulation.

Water stratification = water masses with different properties form layers preventing water from mixing

Question 8

Terrestrial carbon stores

Answer 8

• Terrestrial carbon are found in plants, animals, soils and micro organisms.
• Primary producers are green plants
• Primary consumers which are bugs and beetles eat producers
• This transfers carbon through respiration
• In the daytime (diurnally) photosynthesis makes carbon move from atmosphere to plants
• At night, respiration makes carbon move from plants to atmosphere (opposite)
• The same in summer and winter