The Carbon Cycle

Question 1

Carbon is the 4th most abundant element in the universe. Which 3 elements are more abundant than carbon?

Answer 1

Hydrogen, Oxygen, Helium

Question 2

What % of our bodies is made up of water and carbon?

Answer 2

83%

Question 3

What is carbon called when its a gas?

Answer 3

Carbon dioxide

Question 4

Carbon can also exist as a solid, what are two examples of this?

Answer 4

Limestone, wood.

Question 5

5 most important carbon compounds:

Answer 5

-Carbon dioxide
-Methane
-Calcium carbonate
-Hydrocarbons
-Bio-molecules

Question 6

What is methane?

Answer 6

A gas found in the atmosphere, soils and oceans and sedimentary rocks.

Question 7

What is calcium carbonate?

Answer 7

A solid compound found in calcareous rocks, oceans and in the skeletons and shells of ocean creatures.

Question 8

What are hydrocarbons?

Answer 8

Solids, liquids or gases usually found in sedimentary rocks.

Question 9

What are bio-molecules?

Answer 9

Complex carbon compounds produced in living things. Proteins. carbohydrates, fats and oils, and DNA are examples of bio-molecules.

Question 10

Primary/ original source of carbon on earth:

Answer 10

Earth’s interior. It was stored in the earth’s mantle when earth was formed. It escapes here at destructive and constructive plate boundaries and volcanoes.

Question 11

Co2 released at destructive margins is derived from what?

Answer 11

Metamorphism of carbonate rocks subducting with the ocean crust.

Question 12

What unit is used by the United Nations climate change panel to measure carbon?

Answer 12

A gigatonne, 1Gt amounts to 1 billion tonnes.

Question 13

How is transfer of carbon measured?

Answer 13

Gigatonnes of carbon per year.

Question 14

Anthropogenic CO2 definition:

Answer 14

Carbon dioxide generated by human activity.

Question 15

Biosphere definition:

Answer 15

The total sum of all living matter.

Question 16

Carbon sequestration definition:

Answer 16

Capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or capturing anthropogenic CO2 from stationary sources before it is released into the atmosphere. After it is captured it is put into long-term storage.

Question 17

Carbon sink definition:

Answer 17

A store of carbon that absorbs more carbon than it releases.

Question 18

Greenhouse gas definition:

Answer 18

Any gaseous compound in the atmosphere that is capable if absorbing infrared radiation, thereby trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere.

Question 19

Lithosphere definition:

Answer 19

The crust and the uppermost mantle; this constitutes the hard and rigid outer layer of the earth.

Question 20

Weathering definition:

Answer 20

The breakdown of rocks in situ by a combination of weather, plants and animals.

Question 21

Inorganic deposits if carbon in the lithosphere:

Answer 21

Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, oil shale and carbonate sedimentary deposits like limestones.