the carbon cycle and energy security

Question 1

what are the types of carbon

Answer 1

• inorganic (found in rocks as bicarbonates and carbonate-largest carbon store
• organic(found in plant material)
• gaseous(found as CO2, CH4,CO

Question 2

what are the 4 processes that transfer carbon in biogeochemical carbon cycle

Answer 2

• photosynthesis
• respiration
• decomposition
• combustion

Question 3

what is the biogeochemical carbon cycle

Answer 3

are the biological and chemical processes that determine how much carbon on the Earth’s surface or released anytime.
CO2 is exchanged between the atmosphere and oceans

Question 4

flux

Answer 4

refers to the movement transfer of carbon between stores creating cycles and feedbacks.

Question 5

how is equilibrium between stores maintainned

Answer 5

• outgassing, when terrestrial carbon within mantle released into the atmosphere as CO2 when volcanoes erupt.
• chemical weathering, CO2 combines with rainfall, taking it out of the atmosphere to produce weak carbonic acid. dissolves carbon-rich rocks, releasing bicarbonates which are eventually deposited as carbon on the ocean floor.

Question 6

geological carbon cycle

Answer 6

transfers carbon between land, oceans, and atmosphere.

Question 7

types of carbon in the geological carbon cycle

Answer 7

• geological carbon,rocks, results when sedimentary carbon based rocks formed
• biologically derived carbon, plants, stored in shale ,coal,and other sedimentary rocks

Question 8

explain the geological carbon cycle

Answer 8

-CO2 loss to air CaCO3 deposition
-carbon used to form shells
-when animals die their shells form limestone
-decaying vegetation forms coal strata at the margins of land and sea
-CO2loss from the air through the transformation of silicates to carbonates
-carbon carried by rivers
-volcanic explosion releases CO2 into the atmosphere
CO2in the atmosphere combines with rainwater to form weak carbonic acid
-carbonic acid reacts with rocks

Question 9

what is the biological carbon pump

Answer 9

the exchange of CO2 at the surface of sea, some dissolving in the water and some vented out to air above.

Question 10

how does the biological carbon pump works

Answer 10

• phytoplankton on oceans surface contains chlorophyll
• photosynthesis to survive.
• creates CaCO3 shells-becomes carbon rich
• sink to ocean fall after they die, accumulating as sediment
• hence pumping CO2 out of the atmosphere and into the ocean
• however slight temp. changes can alter the flow
• pollution and tubalance alter light penetration
• thermohaline circulations maintains pumps

Question 11

terrestrial stores- land-based

Answer 11

• CO2 absorbed through photosynthesis and released back by the respiration of plants
• biological decomposers, bugs, and larvae feed on dead plants animals, and waste
• green plants use solar energy to grow and add to their biomass

Question 12

where can biological carbon be stored

Answer 12

soils as dead organic matter

or returned to the atmosphere by decomposition

Question 13

carbon cycle within mangroves

Answer 13

-sequestrian and respiration
-dead organisms stored in poor oxygen enviroments , so slow breakdown
-without mangroves carbon is released back into atmosphere
when if 2%mangroves are lost carbon will rise 50 times from what it is today

Question 14

tropical forests as carbon stores

Answer 14

• absorb more CO2 than any terrestrial biome
• litter and dead plant recyled quickly so soil store barely develops
• massive carbon sink