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) –CO 2 (atmosphere and dissolved in water) –Carbonates (rocks like limestone) –Hydrocarbons (methane, coal, oil and plastics)

Carbon Cycle Game

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 C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 → 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + energy

Greenhouse gases

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

The Earth cycles heat and carbon dioxide

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 CO 2

Volcanic Activity Volcanic eruptions release water vapor, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere a large leakage of naturally sequestered carbon dioxide rose from Lake Nyos in Cameroon and asphyxiated 1,700 people. Long term process for CO 2 addition.

Combustion Fossil fuel + 6O 2 → 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + energy Complete combustion of hydrocarbons produces CO 2 Fossil fuel burning atmospheric CO2

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

Areas of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O sunlight C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 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 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 CO 2 by the oceans helps lessen the climatic effects of man’s emissions. CO 2 + H 2 O CO H + CO Ca 2+ CaCO 3 (increasing acid breaks down shells)

Forming Rock CO 2 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 %20Packages/New/Pages/NZ/NZ%20Rom ance%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 CO 2 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 CO 2 from industrial chimneys. Geological CO 2 is injected into older oil fields to extract more oil. It could be trapped for millions of years. Cement production also captures CO 2

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].

Overview