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Demonstrate Understanding of Carbon Cycling
Science A.S. 1.14
Carbon
• Widely distributed in nature• Found in stars, planets,
comets• Diamond, graphite and
compounds (many vital for life)– CO2 (atmosphere and
dissolved in water)– Carbonates (rocks like
limestone)– Hydrocarbons (methane,
coal, oil and plastics)
Carbon CycleGame
Addition of Carbon
Natural
• Respiration (animal/ plant)
• Decay
• Volcanic activity
Anthropogenic (man made)
• Combustion
Respiration
• Conversion of “fuel” into energy by “burning” with oxygen
• Plants and animals do this
• They use the energy for life processes
• C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
Greenhouse gases
http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_1.htm
Decay• Animals and plants are made of carbon.
• When they die decomposing microbes break them down to produce energy.
• If oxygen is present the carbon is recycled as carbon dioxide.
• If no oxygen is present
methane is produced.
Decay video
http://www.topnews.in/usa/why-tectonic-plates-move-way-they-do-24873
Volcanic activity
• Carbon can be locked away for a long time as rock.
• It is returned to the atmosphere via volcanic eruptions.
Volcanic eruptions release CO2
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/volcanoes/2/2
Volcanic Activity
• Volcanic eruptions release water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.
• 1986 a large leakage of naturally sequestered carbon dioxide rose from Lake Nyos in Cameroon and asphyxiated 1,700 people.
• Long term process for CO2 addition.
Combustion• Fossil fuel + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy
• Complete
combustion
of hydrocarbons
produces CO2Fossil fuel burning
atmosphericCO2
http://nirantaradrusti.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/greenhouse-effect/
Breathing earth
West coast logging
Removal of Carbon
• May be long or short term carbon “sinks”
Natural• Photosynthesis (s)• Dissolving in oceans (s)• Formation of rock (l)Anthropogenic• Scrubbers (l/s)• Nanotube filters (s)
Carbon dioxide and the oceans
http://www.niwa.co.nz/__data/assets/image/0006/49443/gas2_large.jpg
Areas of Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
• 6CO2 + 6H2O sunlight C6H12O6 + 6O2
• Green plants use the Sun’s energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into food.• Deforestation impacts on photosynthesis.•Phytoplankton undertake most photosynthesis.
Plankton capture carbon dioxide and form limestone
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/OA/OA1.jpg
Green machine
Dissolving in Oceans
• Carbon dioxide dissolves in water to produce acid.
• The decrease in pH will be bad for coral and shellfish.
• Absorption of CO2 by the oceans helps lessen the climatic effects of man’s emissions.
CO2 + H2O CO32- + 2H+
CO32- + Ca2+ CaCO3 (increasing acid breaks down shells)
Forming Rock
• CO2 reacts with metal oxides to produce stable carbonates (limestone)
• This process takes ages!
• The carbon can be “locked away” for a long time.
• Carbon can also be stored as coal.
Pancake rocks Caves
http://www.easytickets.com.sg/Honeymoon%20Packages/New/Pages/NZ/NZ%20Romance%20in%20the%20South.html
Limestone formations• Limestone is a
sedimentary rock made from shells.
• Water dissolves Limestone producing sinkholes and caves.
• calcium carbonate formations of stalactites, stalagmites are common.
Harwood’s Hole
Carbon Capture (sequestration)• Stopping CO2 from entering the
atmosphere (costly)Filters• Carbon nanotubes are
1/50,000th of the width of a human hair.
• They are made into filters to capture CO2 from industrial chimneys.
Geological• CO2 is injected into older oil fields
to extract more oil. • It could be trapped for millions of
years. • Cement production also captures
CO2
The global carbon cycle involves the earth's atmosphere, fossil fuels, the oceans, and the vegetation and soils of the earth's terrestrial ecosystems [Figure 2].