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8 Jun 2023
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Geography for Kids: The Carbon Cycle and How It Affects Our Earth
Maisie Wood
@alevel.revisionnotes
Carbon Fluxes, Stores, and Human Impacts
Carbon fluxes, which are measured in Petagrams or Gigatonnes of carbon per year, occur over various time and spatial scales. The largest fluxes typically occur between the ocean and atmosphere or between land and atmosphere, involving processes like photosynthesis and respiration.
Highlight: While processes like photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, and decomposition can transfer carbon in minutes, hours, or days, carbon sequestration in sedimentary rocks or the ocean can take millennia.
Sedimentary rocks, such as limestone, contain the vast majority of Earth's carbon. These rocks form through two primary processes: the compression of dead organic matter covered by silt and mud over many years, resulting in shale, and the lithification of dead marine organisms at the ocean bottom over millions of years, forming rocks like limestone.
Fossil fuels, while containing only 0.004% of Earth's carbon, play a significant role in the carbon cycle due to human exploitation. They form when organic material is deposited and accumulates faster than it can decay, eventually transforming into oil, natural gas, and coal.
Example: Chemical weathering is a geological process that releases carbon into the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon reacts with water vapor to create weak carbonic acid, which, during condensation, forms acid rain that dissolves calcium carbonate in rocks.
Outgassing, particularly through volcanic eruptions, is another natural process that releases stored carbon into the atmosphere. Combustion, both natural and human-induced , rapidly transfers carbon from biomass or fossil stores to the atmosphere.
Vocabulary: The fast carbon cycle refers to the relatively rapid movement of carbon through the biosphere, atmosphere, and upper ocean, typically occurring over days to decades.
The ocean's role in carbon sequestration is crucial and involves three interconnected systems known as pumps: the biological pump, the carbonate pump, and the physical pump. These processes move carbon between the atmosphere, surface water, and deep ocean, playing a vital role in regulating atmospheric CO2 levels and global climate.
Definition: Carbon capture and storage refers to the process of capturing CO2 emissions from industrial processes or power generation and storing them long-term, typically underground, to mitigate climate change.
Understanding these complex interactions and processes within the carbon cycle is essential for assessing and addressing the impacts of human activities on global carbon balance and climate change.
The Carbon Cycle: Key Concepts and Processes
The carbon cycle is a fundamental biogeochemical process that regulates the movement of carbon through Earth's various systems. This page introduces key terminology and concepts essential for understanding the carbon cycle's mechanics.
Vocabulary: Sequestration refers to the capture of carbon from the atmosphere by oceans, vegetation, or sedimentary rocks where it is stored.
Carbon sources and sinks play crucial roles in the cycle. A carbon source releases more carbon than it absorbs, while a carbon sink absorbs more carbon than it releases. These concepts are vital for understanding the balance of carbon in different Earth systems.
Example: Photosynthesis, represented by the equation Carbon Dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen, is a key process in the carbon cycle that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The ocean plays a significant role in the carbon cycle, with phytoplankton serving as the foundation of marine food chains and contributing to carbon sequestration. Sedimentation occurs when dead organisms on the ocean floor create sediment rich in calcium carbonate, further storing carbon.
Definition: Thermohaline circulation refers to the movement of ocean currents based on their density, which is influenced by temperature and salinity.
Two important processes in ocean carbon cycling are downwelling, where warm water cools and absorbs more CO2 before sinking, and upwelling, where cold water rises to the surface, bringing CO2 that can be absorbed by phytoplankton.
Highlight: The carbon cycle operates as a closed system, meaning that while there are inputs and outputs of energy, the total amount of carbon within the system remains constant.
The carbon budget of a subsystem is determined by the difference between carbon inputs and outputs. This balance dictates whether a subsystem acts as a carbon source or sink, with sudden releases of carbon potentially disrupting this balance for extended periods.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
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Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Geography for Kids: The Carbon Cycle and How It Affects Our Earth
Maisie Wood
@alevel.revisionnotes
The carbon cycle is a complex biogeochemical process that regulates the movement of carbon through Earth's systems. This vital cycle involves various carbon sources, sinks, and fluxes, operating across different timescales and spatial dimensions.
- The carbon cycle is a closed... Show more
Carbon Fluxes, Stores, and Human Impacts
Carbon fluxes, which are measured in Petagrams or Gigatonnes of carbon per year, occur over various time and spatial scales. The largest fluxes typically occur between the ocean and atmosphere or between land and atmosphere, involving processes like photosynthesis and respiration.
Highlight: While processes like photosynthesis, respiration, combustion, and decomposition can transfer carbon in minutes, hours, or days, carbon sequestration in sedimentary rocks or the ocean can take millennia.
Sedimentary rocks, such as limestone, contain the vast majority of Earth's carbon. These rocks form through two primary processes: the compression of dead organic matter covered by silt and mud over many years, resulting in shale, and the lithification of dead marine organisms at the ocean bottom over millions of years, forming rocks like limestone.
Fossil fuels, while containing only 0.004% of Earth's carbon, play a significant role in the carbon cycle due to human exploitation. They form when organic material is deposited and accumulates faster than it can decay, eventually transforming into oil, natural gas, and coal.
Example: Chemical weathering is a geological process that releases carbon into the atmosphere. Atmospheric carbon reacts with water vapor to create weak carbonic acid, which, during condensation, forms acid rain that dissolves calcium carbonate in rocks.
Outgassing, particularly through volcanic eruptions, is another natural process that releases stored carbon into the atmosphere. Combustion, both natural and human-induced , rapidly transfers carbon from biomass or fossil stores to the atmosphere.
Vocabulary: The fast carbon cycle refers to the relatively rapid movement of carbon through the biosphere, atmosphere, and upper ocean, typically occurring over days to decades.
The ocean's role in carbon sequestration is crucial and involves three interconnected systems known as pumps: the biological pump, the carbonate pump, and the physical pump. These processes move carbon between the atmosphere, surface water, and deep ocean, playing a vital role in regulating atmospheric CO2 levels and global climate.
Definition: Carbon capture and storage refers to the process of capturing CO2 emissions from industrial processes or power generation and storing them long-term, typically underground, to mitigate climate change.
Understanding these complex interactions and processes within the carbon cycle is essential for assessing and addressing the impacts of human activities on global carbon balance and climate change.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
The Carbon Cycle: Key Concepts and Processes
The carbon cycle is a fundamental biogeochemical process that regulates the movement of carbon through Earth's various systems. This page introduces key terminology and concepts essential for understanding the carbon cycle's mechanics.
Vocabulary: Sequestration refers to the capture of carbon from the atmosphere by oceans, vegetation, or sedimentary rocks where it is stored.
Carbon sources and sinks play crucial roles in the cycle. A carbon source releases more carbon than it absorbs, while a carbon sink absorbs more carbon than it releases. These concepts are vital for understanding the balance of carbon in different Earth systems.
Example: Photosynthesis, represented by the equation Carbon Dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen, is a key process in the carbon cycle that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The ocean plays a significant role in the carbon cycle, with phytoplankton serving as the foundation of marine food chains and contributing to carbon sequestration. Sedimentation occurs when dead organisms on the ocean floor create sediment rich in calcium carbonate, further storing carbon.
Definition: Thermohaline circulation refers to the movement of ocean currents based on their density, which is influenced by temperature and salinity.
Two important processes in ocean carbon cycling are downwelling, where warm water cools and absorbs more CO2 before sinking, and upwelling, where cold water rises to the surface, bringing CO2 that can be absorbed by phytoplankton.
Highlight: The carbon cycle operates as a closed system, meaning that while there are inputs and outputs of energy, the total amount of carbon within the system remains constant.
The carbon budget of a subsystem is determined by the difference between carbon inputs and outputs. This balance dictates whether a subsystem acts as a carbon source or sink, with sudden releases of carbon potentially disrupting this balance for extended periods.
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user