The carbon and water cycles have distinctive processes and pathways which operate within them

Question 1

What are the two mechanisms that allow the ocean to take up carbon?

Answer 1

The physical pump and biological pump.

Question 2

How does the physical carbon pump work?

Answer 2

CO2 enters the oceans by diffusion. It is then carried along ocean currents and cools which makes it sink. Deep currents eventually transport it to areas of upwelling and then the carbon diffuses back into the atmosphere.

Question 3

Outline the biological carbon pump.

Answer 3

Phytoplankton absorbs CO2 through photosynthesis. Carbon locked in phytoplankton either accumulates on ocean floor or is decomposed and released as CO2. Carbon rich material is then in sediment and is lithified into chalk and limestone.

Question 4

How much carbon is absorbed by the biological pump per year?

Answer 4

50GT

Question 5

What is carbon sequestration?

Answer 5

The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Question 6

How much carbon is stored in vegetation?

Answer 6

Land plants especially those in boreal forests contain huge amounts of carbon. Most of this carbon is stored away for decades.