FInal Study Guide 13

Question 1

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

Carbon begins in the atmosphere in some form. It can be taken in by plants in the form of CO2 in order to perform photosynthesis. When this organic matter dies and is buried. This waste fossilizes and its carbon can be burned for energy. There are many different ways to release carbon from organic matter. Burning wood is another example. Release this carbon puts it into the atmosphere, restarting the cycle.

Question 2

Why does the carbon cycle act as a thermostat for Earth climate?

Answer 2

• The carbon cycle acts as a thermostat because it maintains Earths temperature and creates a thermal blanket. The carbon cycle is only possible on Earth due to plate tectonics.
• Self Regulating system (negative feedback)
• As CO2 increases, temperature increases
• As temperature increases, rate of weathering increases
• As weathering increases, Levels of CO2 decrease
• Weathering reaction important, more efficient at higher temperatures

Question 3

What is the faint sun problem?

Answer 3

• We hypothesize the sun is much larger and brighter now, so in early Earth when the sun was fainter, why wasn’t the Earth frozen over? There are two hypotheses.
  > The first is that there could have been a greenhouse effect that was substantially larger causing more erosion and the release of CO2.
  > The second suggests (the change in terms of albedo) there is more whiter stuff now that reflects the sunlight so that even though the sun burns hotter and brighter now, the Earth today is reflecting more back.

Question 4

Ice record

Answer 4

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Question 5

Temperature proxy

Answer 5

above

Question 6

Isotope

Answer 6

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Question 7

Deuterium

Answer 7

• one of two stable isotopes of Hydrogen

- natural abundance in oceans

Question 8

Ice Age

Answer 8

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Question 9

Natural Climate Change

Answer 9

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Question 10

Eocene Optimum

Answer 10

little to no ice was present on Earth with a smaller difference in temperature from the equator to the poles

Question 11

Meteorite forcing

Answer 11

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Question 12

Carbon cycle

Answer 12

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Question 13

Tectonic forcing

Answer 13

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Question 14

Volcanism

Answer 14

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Question 15

Pleistocene Ice Age

Answer 15

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Question 16

Interglacial

Answer 16

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Question 17

Holocene Maximum

Answer 17

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Question 18

Faint sun

Answer 18

• Sun has changed its luminosity over time (amount of radiation that goes out)
• Star burns heavier and heavier fuels over time increased radiation
• Even though the Sun was about 30% dimmer than it is now, temperature on Earth has been more or less stable
• It should have been so much colder because the sun was so much fainter due to carbon cycle

Question 19

Luminosity

Answer 19

measure of brightness, can be measure in terms of radiant power, i.e solar luminosity

Question 20

Albedo

Answer 20

Reflectivity of a surface, typically that of a planet or moon. Like the snow that reflects the sunlight to prevent the surface of the earth from overheating.

Question 21

Continental Formation

Answer 21

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Question 22

Organic carbon

Answer 22

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Question 23

Carbonic acid

Answer 23

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Question 24

Calcium carbonate

Answer 24

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Question 25

Weathering

Answer 25

breaking down of rocks, soils, and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth’s atmosphere, biota, and waters. Weathering occurs in situ, or “with no movement”, and thus should not be confused with erosion

Question 26

Mineral resources

Answer 26

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Question 27

Sediments

Answer 27

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Question 28

Thermostat

Answer 28

The Earth can’t get too hot or too cold during the carbon cycle

Question 29

Negative feedback

Answer 29

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Question 30

Positive feedback

Answer 30

- Positive feedback (albedo) can produce runaway extreme climate. - Extreme climate can cause evolutionary bottleneck

Question 31

Photosynthesis

Answer 31

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Question 32

Snowball earth

Answer 32

650 million years ago, whole surface of the earth was covered by snow. It was the 2nd of the last time when all continents together

Question 33

Cap carbonate

Answer 33

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Question 34

Oceanic Carbon Cycle

Answer 34

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Question 35

Respiration

Answer 35

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Question 36

Fossil Fuels

Answer 36

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Question 37

Coal

Answer 37

a hard black mineral which is dug out of the ground and burnt to produce heat

Question 38

Oil

Answer 38

a smooth thick liquid that is used to make machines run easily or is burned to produce heat

Question 39

Carboniferous

Answer 39

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Question 40

Anthracite

Answer 40

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Question 41

Lignite

Answer 41

referred to as brown coal, is a soft brown combustible sedimentary rock that is formed from naturally compressed peat. It is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat content.

Question 42

Bituminous Coal

Answer 42

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Question 43

Oil Trap

Answer 43

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Question 44

Impermeable

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Question 45

Permeable

Answer 45

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Question 46

Saturation

Answer 46

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Question 47

Anticline

Answer 47

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Question 48

Salt Dome

Answer 48

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Question 49

Energy Use

Answer 49

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Question 50

Renewable energy

Answer 50

energy generated from natural resources – such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat – which are naturally replenished. Ranges from solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity/micro hydro, biomass and biofuels for transportation

Question 51

Non-renewable

Answer 51

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Question 52

Reserves

Answer 52

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Question 53

Resources

Answer 53

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Question 54

Deposits

Answer 54

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Question 55

Economic

Answer 55

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Question 56

Subeconomic

Answer 56

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Question 57

Peak Oil

Answer 57

the point in time when the maximum rate of petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production is expected to enter terminal decline

Question 58

Hubbert’s Curve

Answer 58

an approximation of the production rate of a resource over time