Water & Carbon - Processes in the carbon cycle Flashcards
What are the global stores of carbon?
- Atmosphere: Mainly stored as carbon dioxide (CO2)but also shorter-lived methane (CH4).
- Biosphere: All living organisms are composed of carbon.
- Cryosphere: The frozen ground of tundra and Arctic regions containing plant material.
- Pedosphere: Soil contains much organic carbon and the remains of dead plants and animals.
- Lithosphere: Many rocks contain carbon
What are the 5 stages of the slow carbon cycle?
- The transfer of carbon into the oceans from the atmosphere and land surface e.g. weathering
- The deposition of carbon compounds on the ocean floor
- The conversion of ocean sediments into carbon-rich rock
- The transfer of carbon rocks to tectonic margins
- The return of carbon compounds to the atmosphere in volcanic eruptions
What is the slow carbon cycle?
Operates over millions of years and cycles carbon between land and atmospheric or ocean stores due to weathering and tectonic processes.
What is the fast carbon cycle?
Operating on a daily basis – cycling carbon between land and the atmosphere as living things breathe and digest food.
How does photosynthesis contribute to the carbon cycle?
Plants and algae use sunlight to convert CO2 and water into glucose and oxygen – removes CO2 from the atmosphere and stores carbon in plant biomass.
How does respiration contribute to the carbon cycle?
Animals release CO2 into the atmosphere soil and oceans by animals as they exhale.
How does decomposition contribute to the carbon cycle?
Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down dead organic matter, releasing CO2 and CH4 into the atmosphere.
How does combustion contribute to the carbon cycle?
Natural fires release carbon compounds from vegetation to the atmosphere
How does ocean-atmosphere exchange contribute to the carbon cycle?
Mutual transfer of CO2 between the lower atmosphere and ocean surfaces. The flow can go in either direction depending on the balance of CO2 between the two stores temperature and conditions of air and water.
What are some human processes in the carbon cycle?
- Fossil fuel combustion
- Deforestation
- Agriculture
- Cement production
How does fossil fuel combustion contribute to the carbon cycle?
Burning coal, oil, and natural gas for energy releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere – contributing to the greenhouse effect.
How does deforestation contribute to the carbon cycle?
The removal of trees for agriculture, urban development, logging, energy development, etc, reduces the CO2. Trees act as a carbon sink – when they are burned the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere.
How does agriculture contribute to the carbon cycle?
Farming activities, such as rice paddies and livestock farming, release CH4, a potent greenhouse gas. The use of chemical fertilisers can also increase soil respiration and CO2 emissions.
How does cement production contribute to the carbon cycle?
The production of cement involves heating limestone (calcium carbonate) which releases CO2 as a by-product – a significant source of industrial CO2 emissions.
What are the links between natural and human processes in the carbon cycle?
Human activities often disrupt natural carbon processes leading to an imbalance in the carbon cycle…
- Deforestation reduces the capacity of forests to absorb CO2
- Fossil fuel combustion adds more CO2 to the atmosphere than natural processes can remove
Understanding these interactions is crucial for managing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change.
