The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security

Question 1

Describe a Pg

Answer 1

The unit is used to measure carbon, one petagram also known as a gigatonne is equal to 1 billion tonnes

Question 2

Define fluxes

Answer 2

Movements of organic compounds

Question 3

Define reservoir turnover

Answer 3

The rate at whig carbon enters and leaves a store is measured by the mass of carbon in any store divided by the exchange flux

Question 4

Name the two long term carbon stores

Answer 4

Crustal/terrestrial geological and oceanic (deep )

Question 5

Name the 4 short term carbon stores

Answer 5

Terrestrial soil
Oceanic (surface )
Atmospheric
Terrestrial ecosystem

Question 6

Define anthracite

Answer 6

It is the hardest coal. It has the most carbon and hence a higher energy content

Question 7

Describe lignite coal

Answer 7

A soft coal, with low carbon levels and energy potential, these are the major global source of energy supplies but emit more CO2 than hard coals

Question 8

Define Thermohaline Circulation

Answer 8

The global system of surface and deep water ocean currents is driven by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline) differences between areas of oceans.

Question 9

Define carbon cycle pumps

Answer 9

the processes operating in oceans to circulate and store carbon. There are three sorts biological, carbonate and physical.

Question 10

Define the MEA Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Answer 10

The UN MEA was the first major global audit of the heath of ecosystems in 2005, highlighting their degradation (the loss of natural productivity through overuse and destruction)

Question 11

Define biomass

Answer 11

Organic matter used as fuel, especially in power stations for the formation of energy

Question 12

Define biofuel

Answer 12

A fuel derived immediately from living matter , such as agricultural crops, forestry, fishery products or various waste.

Question 13

Define land converison

Answer 13

Any change from natural ecosystems to an alternative use it usually reduces carbon and water stores and soil health

Question 14

Define GIS, Geographical Information System

Answer 14

Maps with layers of information are an important tool in analysing place characteristics

Question 15

Define ocean acidification

Answer 15

The decrease in the pH of the Earth’s oceans caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Question 16

Define critical threshold

Answer 16

An abrupt change in an ecological state. Small environmental changes can trigger significant responses. Negative and positive feedback loops reinforce or undermine changes once an alternative stable state has become established.

Question 17

Define Inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

Answer 17

A concentration of warm air that produces rainfall as part of a global circulation system (the Hadley cell). It moves north and south across the equator seasonally. Small shifts in its location can cause drought.

Question 18

Define arctic barometer

Answer 18

A barometer measures pressure . The Arctic is already showing is already showing pressure on its natural systems from anthropogenic influences

Question 19

Define Mitigation

Answer 19

Involves the reduction or prevention of GHG emissions by new technologies and low carbon energies (renewables, nuclear) becoming more energy efficient , or changing attitudes and behaviour

Question 20

Name the four stores of carbon

Answer 20

Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere

Question 21

How is carbon present in the lithosphere?

Answer 21

Carbonates are in limestone and fossil fuels

Question 22

What is the reservoir turnover rate of the geological carbon cycle?

Answer 22

at least 100000 years

Question 23

Name 4 ways in which carbon fluxes in the geological carbon cycle

Answer 23

Volcanic emissions
Chemical weathering
Erosion
Sediment formation of sea floor

Question 24

Name two long term stores of carbon

Answer 24

Crustal/ terrestrial geological

Oceanic (deep)

Question 25

Name 4 short term stores of carbon

Answer 25

Terrestrial soil
Oceanic (surface)
Atmospheric
Terrestrial ecosystem

Question 26

Describe how and how long carbon is cycled by soil

Answer 26

Microorganisms breakdown organic matter into CO2.

This can take days or decades depending on the climate

Question 27

Describe how and how long it takes for carbon is cycled by the oceanic surface

Answer 27

CO2 gas can dissolve in the ocean or be broken down by biological processes (phytoplankton)
Both of these processes happen rapidly

Question 28

Describe how and how long it takes for carbon is cycled by the atmosphere

Answer 28

CO2 and CH4 store carbon for up to 100 years. It can be dissolved, or broken down by biological processes

Question 29

Describe how and how long it takes for carbon is cycled by terrestrial ecosystems

Answer 29

C02 is taken from the atmosphere by plant photosynthesis carbon is stored organically in trees rapid interchange with atmosphere over seconds/ minutes

Question 30

Name the 5 key processes in the geological carbon cycle

Answer 30

Mechanical, chemical and biological weathering
Decomposition 
Transportation
Sedimentation
Metamorphosis

Question 31

Why are geological fluxes so important?

Answer 31

These are small on an annual basis but without them the carbon stored in rocks would accumulate and remain there forever eventually depleting the sources of CO2 that are vital to life forms

Question 32

How old are fossil fuels?

Answer 32

300 million years

Question 33

How is limestone created in oceans?

Answer 33

Carbon containing rock is precipitated onto the ocean floor, form layers, cemented on the floor and lithified on limestone.

Question 34

How were fossils created?

Answer 34

300 million years ago, remains of organic material sank to the bottom of rivers and seas. They were then covered in silt and mud. They then decayed anaerobically. Heat and pressure was exerted on the material so that the layers of organic carbon became oil, coal or gas.

Question 35

Nam ethe amounts of carbon moved through the annual cycle by geological, anthropogenic and ecosystem processes

Answer 35

Geological: 10^14 grams ofcarbon
Anthropogenic: 10^15 grams of carbon
Ecosystem: 10^17 grams of carbon

Question 36

Where does volcanic out gassing occur?

Answer 36

Ocean ridges and subduction zones

Question 37

Explain the ways in which chemical weathering contributes to the carbon cycle

Answer 37

Atmospheric CO2 reacts with rain to create acid rain which erodes surface and dissolves carbon into component ions.
Ions are transported to rivers (usually as calcite)
Deposition and burial turns the calcite ions into limestone
Carbon can be released from the geological cycle in various ways.

Question 38

Name an isolated magma hotspot

Answer 38

Kilauea, Hawaii

Question 39

Name a tectonic collision zone volcano location

Answer 39

Etna, Sicily