The Carbon Cycle and Global warming

Question 0

What sort of gas is carbon dioxide?

Answer 0

A greenhouse gas

Question 1

What two human activities have been responsible for the global increase in carbon dioxide levels in the last 100 years?

Answer 1

The combustion of fossil fuels and deforestation

Question 2

What helps to maintain the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide?

Answer 2

Oceans

Question 3

What are saprobiotic organisms?

Answer 3

Decomposers

Question 4

How do saprobiotic microorganisms decompose dead organisms and recycle the carbon they contain?

Answer 4

They secrete enzymes that break down complex molecules into smaller, soluble molecules that they can then absorb through diffusion and the carbon in the dead organisms is then released as carbon dioxide during reps pirating by the decomposer

Question 5

How is carbon from sedimentary rocks such as chalk and limestone returned to the atmosphere?

Answer 5

Weathering

Question 6

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 6

Solar rays are radiated back to Earth by clouds and the ‘greenhouse gases’ that form part of the atmosphere and trap heat close to the earths surface, keeping it warm.

Question 7

How will climate change affect the niches that are available in a community?

Answer 7

As each organism is adapted to a particular niche, the distribution of species will alter as they migrate to new areas, where they will compete for the available niches

Question 8

What are some of the consequences of global warming?

Answer 8

Melting of polar ice caps, A rise in sea level due to the thermal expansion of oceans which may cause flooding of low-lying land, Higher temperatures, Intense storms, Changes in rainfall and Alterations to life-cycles and populations of insect pests