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Physical Geography > The Carbon Cycle > Flashcards

The Carbon Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the relationship between carbon and the lithosphere.

A
  1. 9% carbon stored in sedimentary rock

0. 004% C stored in fossil fuels

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2
Q

Describe the relationship between carbon and the atmosphere.

A

C stored as CO2 and methane

Stores 0.001% carbon

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3
Q

Describe the relationship between carbon and the hydrosphere.

A

CO2 dissolved in rivers, lakes, oceans

Oceans = 2nd largest C store, 0.04%

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4
Q

Describe the relationship between carbon and the biosphere

A

C stored in living tissue of organisms + transferred to soil when organisms die
Stores 0.004% of carbon

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5
Q

Describe the relationship between carbon and the cryosphere.

A

Stores 0.01% Carbon

Most in permafrost in frozen organisms

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6
Q

What happens in the carbon cycle?

A

Carbon is stored and transferred

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7
Q

How does photosynthesis affect the carbon cycle?

A

C -> biomass

  • Photosynthesis
  • Respiration + decomposition
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8
Q

How does respiration affect the carbon cycle?

A

Carbon in organisms -> atmosphere

- Organisms break down glucose and release CO2 and methane

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9
Q

How does combustion affect the carbon cycle?

A

Carbon in decomposed biomass -> atmosphere by burning

Wildfires

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10
Q

How does decomposition affect the carbon cycle?

A

Carbon in dead biomass -> atmosphere
Dead broken down by bacteria, CO2 + methane released
Some carbon -> soil

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11
Q

How does ocean uptake and loss affect the carbon cycle?

A

CO2 dissolves in ocean + enters ocean when organisms e.g. plankton absorb it
- Carbon rich water from deep ocean rises to surface + releases CO2

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12
Q

How does weathering affect the carbon cycle?

A

Chemical weathering transfers carbon from atmosphere -> biosphere
Acid rain = breaks down rock = products released into sea

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13
Q

How does sequestration affect the carbon cycle?

A

C from atmosphere sequestered -> sedimentary rock / fossil fuels

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14
Q

How do fossil fuels form?

A

Organism dies, falls to ocean floor, ocean floor compacted over millions of years
Carbon in fossil fuels stored until combustion

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15
Q

What are the 7 flows of carbon?

A
  1. Photosynthesis
  2. Respiration
  3. Carbon sequestration
  4. Ocean uptake and loss
  5. Combustion
  6. Decomposition
  7. Weathering
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16
Q

How do wildfires affect the carbon cycle?

A
  • Rapidly transfer carbon from biomass to atmosphere
  • Lost vegetation = less photoS = less C removed
  • Aftermath = encourages plant growth, so can have neutral affect
17
Q

How does volcanic activity affect the carbon cycle?

A
  • C stored in magma in Earth released in eruption -> atmosphere
18
Q

What 4 human activities affect the carbon cycle?

A
  1. Fossil fuel use
  2. Deforestation
  3. Farming
  4. Land use
19
Q

How does fossil fuel use affect the carbon cycle?

A
  • Combustion of fossil fuels releases carbon

- W/o this, the C would’ve been kept stored for millions more years

20
Q

How does deforestation affect the carbon cycle?

A

Reduced carbon store

If burnt = same effect as wildfire

21
Q

How does farming affect the carbon cycle?

A
  • Animals release carbon when they respire
  • Ploughing increases carbon stored in soil
  • Growing rice releases methane
  • More food grown as pop. increases
22
Q

How does land use affect the carbon cycle?

A
  • Vegetation cleared for construction

- Concrete production releases CO2

23
Q

What is the carbon budget?

A

Difference between outputs + inputs of carbon into a system

24
Q

How does the carbon cycle affect the atmosphere and climate?

A

CC affects amount of carbon gases in atmosphere.

These are greenhouse gases - the higher their concentration the more global warming

25
Q

How does the carbon cycle affect land?

A

Allows plants to grow.

Changes in CC = less carbon stored - global warming = permafrost melt = carbon released

26
Q

How does the carbon cycle affect the oceans?

A
  • CO2 dissolves straight into ocean
  • CO2 used by photosynthesising animals + other organisms to make calcium carbonate for shells and bones
    Global warming = phyotplankton die bc too high temp, less photosyntheis + warm oceans absorb less CO2

Physical Geography (17 decks)

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