The Carbon Cycle Flashcards
What is the terrestrial carbon store?
Igneous and metamorphic rocks do not contain much carbon; however, sedimentary rocks have high concentrations of it.
Geological processes have also trapped carbon in the form of coal/oil/natural gas. Terrestrial store is the largest store.
What is the atmospheric carbon store?
Volcanic activity, respiration, wildfires and outgassing emit CO2 into the atmospheric store. This store is very small compared with other stores.
However, small changes in concentration affect global temperature and between 2012-2017, the average CO2 concentration increased by 3%.
What is the oceanic carbon store?
CO2 is dissolved by oceans from the atmosphere, but it only makes up a small proportion of seawater mass.
Most CO2 is stored in intermediate and deep water, with only about 2.5% in surface waters.
How are sedimentary carbonate rocks formed?
From calcareous ooze and shells/skeletons that collect at the bottom of oceans.
Marine creates absorb carbon from seawater, and when their remains collect on the seabed the calcium carbonate is compacted by the weight of new layers above them and cemented together to form an organic limestone rock.
How is carbon released through volcanic outgassing?
Tectonic forces may bring limestone rocks into contact with extreme heat; this causes chemical changes and releases CO2 into the atmosphere.
Volcanic activity at plate boundaries/intra plate hot spots may release CO2 into atmosphere.
Geothermal areas also release CO2 through hot springs/oversaturated pools.
Degassing occurs because CO2 is not dissolved easily and so is released early in eruptions.
