L14 Carbon Cycle and Climate Change

Question 1

Describe the overall carbon cycle

Answer 1

Carbon cycle: a network of interrelated processes that transport carbon between different reservoirs on Earth

1. Sun and CO2 contributes to photosynthesis
2. Photosynthesis creates organic compounds
3. Organic compounds and O2 contribute to respiration
4. O2, CH4 (Methanogenesis contributes to CH4) and fossil fuels contribute to combustion
5. combustion contributes to CO2 production (CO2 contributes to Methanogensis)
6. CO2 and dissolved CO2 contribute to e/o
7. Dissolved CO2 and Limestone contribute to e/o
8. Sedimentation contributes to Limestone and Geological Processes
9. Organic Compounds contribute to Sedimentation
10. Geological processes contribute to fossil fuels

INORGANIC: Sedimentaion, Limeston, Dissolved CO2, CO2, sun
-Limstone, Dissolved CO2 and CO2 cycle important for maintaining neutral PH in environment

ORGANIC: Everything else

REFER TO L15&16 SLIDE 4 FOR A VISUAL REPRESENTATION

Question 2

What is Methanogenesis?

Answer 2

• complex biochemical processes (occurs in swamps, landfills, Anaerobic digesters)
• facilitated by anaerobic(No O2) methanogenic bacteria

Question 3

What is Respiration?

Answer 3

Series of chemical reactions that lets organisms convert stored energy in organic food materials into energy to be used by cells

Question 4

What is combustions?

Answer 4

A rapid chemical combustion of a substance with oxygen that releases heat and light

• combustion of fossil fuels = big source of man made CO2 emissions

Question 5

What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)?

Answer 5

• 1000+ international scientists, regularly review state of climate change
• organized by UN Environmental Programme and World Meteorological Organization

Question 6

What are Some Predicted Effects of Climate Change

Answer 6

• fewer cold days and nights
• more frequent hot days and nights over land area
• increased frequency, intensity and amount of:
  1) heat spells
  2) precipitation events
  3) droughts
  4) higher sea levels

Question 7

What is global warming potential?

Answer 7

• measure of mass of greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming relative to CO2

Based on radiative forcing (RF)
- net change in energy balance of the earth sys due to some pertubation
- W/m^2
- simple quantitative way to compare potential response of climate change to energy balance

GWP =( ∫T to 0 of (aₓ x(t) dt))/
( ∫T to 0 of (aᵣ r(t)dt))

aₓ = radiative efficiency of gas x
x(t) = time-dependent decay in abundance of the substance
T = time horizon
r = the reference gas

Question 8

What are some possible solutions to Global Warming? and give them a rate and tbh

Answer 8

1. no more fossil fuels (lol 😂)
2. use solar energy indirectly (wind, hydroelectric) (yass)
3. use nuclear energy (safe??)
4. stimulate photosynthesis and then use that material for fuel (cool but makes H2O (huh?)
5. use fuel cells (Hydorgen capture) (yasss)
   6.Recover energy from waste (Methanogensis) (yasss)
6. Use solar energy directly (yasss)
7. conserve energy (yass but we knew that)
8. Carbon capture (tf is that?)