The Carbon Cycle Flashcards

Question

What is a Carbon Source?

Answer 1

It is shrinking in size and releasing emissions e.g. outgassing (volcanoes), combustion, human respiration.

Answer 2

It is growing in size and storing carbon e.g. plants/trees, oceans.

Answer 3

The balance that exists between the sinks and sources.

Answer 4

They occur when a small change in one component causes changes in other components, this shifts the system away from its previous state and towards the new one.

Answer 5

Earths systems normally operate y negative (stabilising) feedbacks, maintaining a stable state by preventing the system moving beyond certain thresholds i.e. only change is cancelled out, maintaining equilibrium.

Answer 6

A chemical process that happens in all cells and is common to both plants and animals. Glucose is converted into that can be used for growth and repair, movement and control of body temperature in mammals. Carbon dioxide is then returned to the atmosphere, mostly by exhaled air.

Answer 7

The process whereby plants use the light energy from the sun to produce carbohydrates in the form of glucose. -Green plants absorb the light energy using chlorophyll (a green substance found in chloroplasts in plant cells) in their leaves. -The absorbed light energy converts carbon dioxide in the air and water from the soil into glucose. During this process, oxygen is released into the air. -Some glucose is used in respiration, the rest is converted into starch, which is insoluble but can be converted back into glucose for respiration.

Answer 8

When organisms die they are consumed by decomposers such as bacteria, fungi and earthworms. During this process of decomposition, carbon from their bodies is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide . Some organic material passes into the soil where it may be stored for hundreds of years.

Answer 9

Organic material contains carbon. When it is burned in the presence of oxygen (e.g. coal in a power station) is is converted into energy, carbon dioxide and water. This is combustion. The carbon dioxide is release into the atmosphere, returning carbon that might have been stored in rocks for millions of years.

Answer 10

-Dumps carbon but the atmosphere into the hydrosphere. -When organisms (shells) sink and die they dissolve into the sea as smaller sediment. -Forms limestone sediment at high pressure and low temperature or flows through the ocean as carbon. -Calcium carbonate in the ocean forms shells by animals absorbing it to make their shells.

Answer 11

-Upwelling means water rises upwards. -Warm water releases more CO2. -Extra cold salty dense water absorbs more CO2 in Antarctic. -Downwelling, cold water sinks. -Current starts in the polar oceans, past Antarctic, then Indian Ocean and Western Pacific.

Answer 12

-It's a sequestrian (storage) of CO2 to oceans by phytoplankton. -Phytoplankton float on the ocean surface to access sunlight and photosynthesis. -> they are autotrophs (an animal capable of producing its own food) and are the base of the marine food web. -They make up over 1/2 of the planets biomass. -Carbon is passed up the food chain by consumers which in turn release CO2 back to the atmosphere. -0.1% of carbon reaches the sea floor through decomposition and sedimentation. -Phytoplankton sequesters over 2 billion metric tonnes of CO2 annually to the deep ocean. -The processes in total transfer 5-15 gigatonnes of carbon from the atmosphere to the deep ocean each year.

Answer 13

-Primary producers (plants) take in carbon through photosynthesis and then release CO2 back into the atmosphere through respiration. -Consumer animals then eat these plants and absorb the carbon which becomes part of its fats and proteins. -Initially after the animal has died, microorganisms and detritus feeders such as beetles feed on waste material which becomes part of these microorganisms. -After death, tissues decay into the soils. This process is affected by climate and decomposition will happen fastest in tropical climates (warm and damp) or, in Arctic biomes, the process can be 'locked down' for substantial time periods.

Answer 14

Gaseous carbon into living organic compounds that grow

Answer 15

20-30%, sequestering about twice the quantity of carbon as the atmosphere and three times that of terrestrial vegetation. Whether the soil sequesters or emits CO2 depends on local conditions.

Answer 16

This dictates plants growth and microbe activity. Rapid decomposition occurs at higher temperatures or under water logged condition. Places with high rainfall have an increased potential carbon storage than the same soil type in lower rainfall places. Arid soils store only 30 tonnes per hectare compare with 800 tonnes per hectare in cold regions.

Answer 17

Clay-rich soils have a higher carbon content than sandy soils as clay protects carbon from decomposition.

Answer 18

Since 1850, soils globally have lost 40-90 billion gigatons of carbon through cultivation and disturbance. Current rates of carbon loss due to land-use change are 1.6 ± 0.8 billion gigatons of carbon per year.

Answer 19

69%, particularly by the oceans.

Answer 20

A large amount is re-radiated back to the Earth by clouds and greenhouse gases which traps the long wave radiation in our atmosphere.

Answer 21

15°c Without the effect our average temperature would be -6°c.

Answer 22

The Holocene period but many refer to it now as the Anthropocene because of the profound changes caused by humans. The natural greenhouse effect has become enhanced; CO2 in the atmosphere has increased in volume by 40% in the last 300 years.

Answer 23

-Industry (combustion of fossil fuels). -Transport (CO2 emissions). -Agriculture (Livestock - methane, Deforestation - farm land, loss of soil carbon from ploughing). -Electricity generation (increased demand due to rising population). -Cement production (the most consumed product in the world after water, chemical processes involved in the production release a substantial amount of CO2 - 6% of global emissions). -Wetland/peatland loss (the nature of wetlands is shaped by water and rainfall patterns - the unpredictable change due to climate change may result in wetlands drying out, peatlands store 550Gt of carbon - twice as much as all of the world's forest biomass combined by only cover 3% of the earth's surface).

Answer 24

-Through burning fossil fuels we have transferred considerable amounts of carbon from fossil stores, where exchanges are very slow, into the fast category , significantly disturbing the carbon cycle.

Answer 25

-The amount of solar energy (solar insolation) reaching the Earth's surface varies at different locations which in turn influences temperature. -The angle of the sun's rays makes solar insolation intense at the equator but dispersed over a wider area at the poles. -Different characteristics of the Earth's surface (how light or dark it is) also affects how much heat is absorbed or reflected.

Answer 26

-The heating of the atmosphere and surface controls the temperature, pressure, movement and moisture content of the air. -Because solar radiation is most intense at the equator, low pressure systems dominate there, meaning rainfall all year round. -Regional and seasonal variations also occur, because of the effects of relief, pressure patterns and wind systems.

Answer 27

-The combustion of fossil fuels is explicitly linked greenhouse gas concentrations, rising global temperatures and seal levels.

Answer 28

-Climate -Ecosystems -Hydrological Cycle

Answer 29

-Atlantic and Southern Ocean thermohaline circulation may weaken, altering the transfer of heat by oceans. -The hottest year on record was 2015, with average world temperature 1°c above that of pre-industrial era; 2011-2015 were the five hottest years on record. -The Sahel, Mediterranean, South Africa and South Asia will become drier, with drought more common in the tropics and subtropics - but some uncertainties remain due to other factors (El Nino). -Antarctic ice shelves will melt, adding more freshwater to the Southern Ocean, changing density and convection. -The average Arctic temperature has already increase at twice the global average over the last 200 years. Snow and ice cover will contract with the ablation of glaciers.

Answer 30

-Marine biodiversity may be lost as fish move away from warming sea temperatures and about 80% of coral reefs could be bleached (e.g. Great Barrier Reef). -Habitat changes will mean 10% of land species with limited adaptability will face extinction as the climate gets warmer and either wetter or drier. Rates of extinction could rise to 15-40% of all species, especially in in high polar regions. -Plant changes will lag behind animal changes, as they cannot move, and they will face pests and diseases where there is less cold weather to kill them.

Answer 31

-Permafrost areas will thaw and add more water to Arctic rivers. -Uncertainty remains over increased river flooding, since multiple factors are involved, but more flash flooding is likely as a result of more intense precipitation. -A shift of subtropical high-pressure areas northwards will cause a 20-30% decrease in water availability in Mediterranean climate zones.

Answer 32

The amount of energy that is used.

Answer 33

-Physical availability -Technology -Climate -Cost -Economic development -Environmental priorities

Answer 34

-Is energy available within the country or does it have to be imported? -Imported energy requires transport which adds onto the overall cost for the consumer. Rising costs are likely to decrease consumption. -Domestic energy can be difficult to access and require expensive technology.

Answer 35

-Can help with energy exploitation that is difficult to access. -This is likely to increase energy consumption, however much of the modern technology available is energy thirsty.

Answer 36

-Very high levels of consumption North America, the Middle East and Australia reflect the extra energy require to make the extremes of heat and cold more comfortable. -Low energy consumptions in much of Africa, a continent of considerable heat, reflects its relatively low levels of economic development.

Answer 37

-This includes a number of things: physical exploitation ; processing (converting primary into a secondary resource); delivery to the consumer. -Relatively low energy costs may be expected to boost consumption.

Answer 38

-The same energy costs may be perceived as expensive in one country and acceptable in another. -The public perception will depend very much on the level of economic development and the standard of living. -The higher these are, the less the sensitivity to energy cost. -Developed countries have relatively high levels of energy consumption. -The energy needs of all domestic appliances that make everyday living more comfortable and those forms of transport hat allow us to travel more easily.

Answer 39

-Out of concern for our environment in general and about carbon emissions in particular, a government might not take the cheapest route to meeting its energy needs. -Renewables such as wind turbines and solar panels are not necessarily environmentally friendly. -Also the cost of 'green' energy policy could have a slightly depressing impact consumption, as would any governments drive to raise energy efficiency and energy saving.

Answer 40

Gross domestic product The amount of income generated from products and services per year.

Answer 41

The energy mix of a country is the proportion of each primary energy resource it uses per year. These resources may be domestic or imported.

Answer 42

E.g. coal, oil and gas. -Exploitation and use of these stocks will lead to their exhaustion.

Answer 43

E.g. solar, wind and wave power. -These are continuous flows of nature and can be constantly re-used.

Answer 44

E.g. reprocessed uranium and plutonium from nuclear power plants and heat recovery systems. -Reprocessed energy.

Answer 45

-Availability of primary energy resources within the country as well as their access to technology to extract the resources. -The accessibility of primary energy resources from outside the country. -The energy needs of the country, based on economic development, lifestyle and climate. -Changing energy consumption patterns, linked to population and economic growth. -National and regional policies that affect energy production and consumptions e.g. climate change. -Cultural and historical legacies and geopolitical links. -Financial costs of each energy option.

Answer 46

Iceland - Domestic geothermal energy.

Answer 47

Europe - In 2013, Russia exported 8% of its natural gas to Europe.

Answer 48

USA - Consumerist lifestyle meaning higher demand. Plus, hot/cold climate meaning air conditioning and heating required.

Answer 49

India - population of 1.4 billion meaning high demand.

Answer 50

UK - national policies to reduce emissions and invest in renewables.

Answer 51

India - struck up a deal with Canada for it to provide India with 3.2 kilo of uranium.

Answer 52

Countries with little capital e.g. India, consumer the cheapest resources, which is currently fossil fuels.

Answer 53

Natural energy resources that have not been converted into another form of energy e.g. coal, oil, gas. (Consumed in their raw form).

Answer 54

Refers to what the primary source has been converted into, usually electricity.

Answer 55

Coal - 1% Natural Gas - 32% Wind - 29.4% Biomass - 5% Solar - 4.9% Nuclear - 14.2% Imports - 10%

Answer 56

Being able to access reliable and affordable energy sources - either domestic or from 'friendly', domestic countries.

Answer 57

The UK now imports more energy than it produces domestically due to a decline in North Sea oil and gas reserves. This means that the UK has an energy deficit and is energy insecure.

Answer 58

-Russia, for about 40% of Europe's gas supply before the conflict -Moldova and North Macedonia relied solely on Russian gas, Finland and Latvia relied on it for over 90% of their energy.

Answer 59

Physical Availability - Was previously heavily dependent on domestic coal, now increase of oil and gas due to the discovery of large reserves in the North Sea after the 1970s. Cost - North Sea oil is expensive to extract, stocks of it are declining forcing the UK to import. Technology - There are 150 years' worth of coal reserves left in the UK but technology and environmental policy make extraction unrealistic and expensive. Political Considerations - Privatisations of the UK's energy supply industry means overseas companies decide which energy sources are used to meet UK demand. Level of Economic Development - GDP per capita = US$41,200 Energy use per capita = 2752 kg oil equivalent Average annual household energy costs = £1,300 Environmental Policies -