Factors affecting change in the carbon cycle

Question 1

Photosynthesis

Answer 1

• Processes where plants use the light from sun to produce carbohydrates in the form of glucose
• CO2 from air and water react to produce glucose and oxygen
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Question 2

Respiration

Answer 2

• Animals and plants respire
• Opposite of photosynthesis so glucose and oxygen produce CO2 and water
• CO2 is returned to the air

Question 3

Decomposers

Answer 3

• Organisms die and are consumed by fungi ad bacteria
• Carbon from dead matter return to the atmosphere as CO2
• Some passes into the soil where it is stored for millions of years

Question 4

Combustion

Answer 4

• Organic material e.g fossil feuls contain carbon
• When burnt, in presence of oxygen, its converted into energy, CO2 and water
• CO2 is released into the atmosphere

Question 5

Burial and compaction

Answer 5

• Organic matter is buried by sediments and becomes compacted
• Over millions of years these may form hydrocarbons e.g coal and oil
• Corals and shelled organisms take up CO2 from water and covert into calcium carbonate to build shells
• When they die shells accumulate and some carbonates dissolve to release CO2

Question 6

Carbon sequestration

Answer 6

• Transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to plants, soils, rock formations and soils
• Both human and natural processes
• E.g CCS

Question 7

Weathering

Answer 7

• The breakdown or decay of rocks in original place or close to surface
• When co2 is absorbed by rainwater it forms an acidic carbonic acid
• Chemical reactions cause rocks to slowly dissolve with the carbon being held in solution