lesson 10 + 11- Carbon sinks and sources Flashcards
why does soil become ‘dead’?
organic material is washed away during leeching (water takes minerals out of the soil)
why does sediment build up on seabed
marine organisms die and sink ->build up, which is rich
-e.g. chalk- white cliffs of dover used to be the seabed
how much carbon does oceans hold
38,000 petagrams
how much carbon does the atmosphere hold
750 petagrams
-influences greenhouse effect
name 2 natural releases of carbon
volcanoes
forest fires- caused by lightning
NOT RESPIRATION- is human
what is a carbon sink
absorbs more carbon than it releases
-remove C02 from the atmosphere using a process called carbon sequestration
lithosphere in terms of storing carbon
largest amount of carbon stored in sedimentary rocks
-mud containing organic matter hardening
-collection of calcium carbonate particles from shells and skeletons into limestone
cryosphere in terms of storing carbon
-more in permafrost than the atmosphere
biosphere in terms of storing carbon
carbon in the form of organisms + general life
what is a carbon source
releases more carbon than it absorbs
what is an important example of a carbon sink
fossil fuels deposits deep underground
why shouldn’t you plant trees in the north?
darker trees absorb heat/ sunlight -> temperature increases
what happened on the 30th September in the UK
coal is no longer used for electicity
what is carbon sequestration?
carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form.
what happens when oceans absorb carbon
-creates carbanoic acid -> water becoming more acidic
-this reacts with carbonate ions, which are needed to make shells and skeletons, so organisms use more energy to build these shells
-more acidity means more rocks are broken down, further releasing carbon
