Water Carbon KW

Question 1

Cryospheric processes

Answer 1

Processes that affect the total mass of ice at any scale from patches on the ground to global ice amounts

Question 2

Hydrosphere

Answer 2

A discontinuous layer of water at or near the earth. Includes all water, frozen as well, groundwater and water vapour

Question 3

Anthropogenic CO2

Answer 3

CO2 produced by human activity

Question 4

Biosphere

Answer 4

The total sum of all living matter

Question 5

Carbon sequestration

Answer 5

Capturing carbon before it enters the atmosphere from anthropogenic, large scale sources eg power plants

Question 6

Throughfall

Answer 6

The proportion of precipitation that reaches the ground directly, through gaps in vegetation

Question 7

Percolation

Answer 7

Downward movement of water within the rock under the soil surface. Rates depend on the nature of the rock

Question 8

Carbon sink

Answer 8

A store of carbon that absorbs more C than it releases

Question 9

Greenhouse gases

Answer 9

Any gaseous compound in the atmosphere capable of absorbing infrared, thereby trapping heat in the atmosphere

Question 10

Lithosphere

Answer 10

The crust and upper mantle, hard and rigid outer layer of the earth

Question 11

Weathering

Answer 11

Breakdown of rocks in situ by biological (plants) physical and chemical processes

Question 12

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 12

The impact in the climate from additional heat retained due to an increased amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases that have been released since the industrial revolution

Question 13

Geo- sequestration

Answer 13

Technology used to capture greenhouse emissions from power stations and pumping them into underground reservoirs

Question 14

Soil organic carbon (SOC)

Answer 14

Organic constituents in soil, tissue from dead plants, products produced in decomposition and the soil microbial biomass

Question 15

Atmospheric water

Answer 15

Water found in the atmosphere, mainly water vapour with some liquid water as ice crystals

Question 16

Terrestrial water

Answer 16

Water on the ground, groundwater, lakes and wetlands

Question 17

Cryospheric water

Answer 17

Water locked up on earth’s surface as ice

Question 18

Deposition

Answer 18

water from gas state directly becoming solid

Question 19

potential evapotranspiration

Answer 19

the potential for evaporation or transpiration to occur

Question 20

Latent heat

Answer 20

amount of energy required to change the state

Question 21

evaporation

Answer 21

liquid to gas, requiring energy to break bonds

Question 22

condensation

Answer 22

gas to liquid, energy release when bonds are formed

Question 23

adiabatic cooling

Answer 23

when air rises and expands creating precipitation, can occur over hills (relief effect) and when two different temps of air meet (frontal effect)

Question 24

Name the 9 types of carbon transfers

Answer 24

Respiration 
Photosynthesis
Decomposition
Ocean uptake
Weathering
Volcanoes/ wildfires
Burning fossil fuels
Deforestation
Land use change

Question 25

Percent store of carbon in the lithosphere

Answer 25

99.9%

Question 26

Percent anthropogenic CO2 produced by cement making

Answer 26

4%

Question 27

Example of positive feedback in C cycle

Answer 27

Surface temp incr
More evaporation
More greenhouse gases
Global warming

Question 28

Example of negative feedback in C cycle

Answer 28

Surface temp incr
Plant growth
CO2 removed
Decrease temp