0
- The carbon cycle is the set of biogeochemical processes by which carbon undergoes chemical reactions, changes form, and moves through different reservoirs on earth, including living organisms.
- The geological component of the carbon cycle is driven by plate tectonics and includes processes like volcanic eruptions and burial of carbon-rich sediments on the ocean floor.
- The biological component of the carbon cycle is driven by respirationand photosynthesis by living organisms.
- Humans influence the global carbon cycle in several ways, but primarily through burning fossil fuels.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
How does the ocean act like a sink for carbon dioxide?
Atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in the water close to the surface of the ocean. As the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, therefore, so does the concentration of carbon dioxide in these surface waters. Most of the absorbed carbon is accommodated by chemical reactions between the water and carbon dioxide . But this 'buffering' capacity has limits and - if this water remains at the surface - it eventually becomes saturated with carbon dioxide. Surface water and deep water, however, are slowly but constantly overturning in a cycle of about 1000 years. As the surface waters move downwards - a process that occurs mainly in the North Atlantic and Southern oceans - it carries dissolved carbon dioxide down with it. As a result, about 75 per cent of the carbon that has been absorbed by the ocean since human activities began releasing carbon dioxide now resides in deeper waters. Overall, therefore, this process has recently been working as an important sink for carbon produced by human activity. Such downward transport, however, is relatively slow, and so it is ocean circulation - and not dissolution of carbon dioxide in surface waters - that limits carbon dioxide uptake by the oceans. Furthermore, models of the movement of oceanic water masses predict that in a warmer climate the sinking of surface water, and hence burial of carbon dioxide, will slow down, reducing the future role of the ocean as a carbon sink. Another way that the oceans absorb carbon is through the action of microscopic marine plants. When these organisms die, their bodies sink into deeper water. Although most of the carbon in the organisms decomposes to carbon dioxide before reaching the ocean floor, it is prevented from escaping back to the atmosphere (at least, until the oceans turn over). This biological uptake of carbon will probably increase in future, as changes in sea surface temperatures and chemistry lead to an increase in the growth of algae. But it will not be enough, however, to compensate for the reduced downward transport of water and dissolved carbon, and hence is unlikely prevent the overall ocean sink diminishing in the future. Inedeed sinks will probably never lead to a decrease in atmospheric carbon dioxide whilst carbon dioxide emissions continue at their current level. Hope It Helped! ----------------------------------------------HomeworkHelper-----------------------------------------------------
What would cause heart rate to slow down while having flue?
You typically have a slow heart rate when you are at rest. When you have the flu, you really don't get out of bed during this time, so it is normal to have a slower heart rate.
How can you slow your heart rate to breathe underwater?
imagine how you usually breathe..... ....do that, only slower.
What will happen if there will be no forests on earth .How will it impact us?
As we all know that forests are necessary for the earth. Forests and plants give us oxygen to breathe. Without them we would die. That's why people are working so hard to stop/slow down Global Warming. The world is a cycle and without trees and forests, the ecosystem will no longer be a cycle and many things will no longer exist.
Why is your Nissan primastar slow to start and slow to rev up when cold?
slow to start from cold and starts when warm
How can the carbon cycle be used to slow down global warming?
The carbon cycle is the natural way of moving carbon in and out of the atmosphere. The only way it could be used to slow down global warming would be if we planted billions of trees. Trees use photosynthesis to remove carbon dioxide from the air.
Why is carbon important in the carbon cycle?
They break down organic remains such as dead plants and animals into small particles. This slow decaying process is the beginning of CARBONIFICATION which turns these particles into fossil fuels. The bacteria also return carbon to the atmosphere in the form of Carbon Dioxide during RESPIRATION.
State of amphibians in which body activities slow during the winter?
hybernation
Does a koala's metabolism slow down during part of the year?
No. The koala's metabolism remains consistent throughout the year. It does not need to slow down during winter.
Food remains fresh for a longer time during winter Why?
cold temperatures slow decay
Why do people love winter?
Bears hibernate, and moisture is collected for a slow drip during the spring thaw. The Winter Olympic Games, and sledding.
Why does the panda walk slow?
Pandas walk slow to conserve energy and since it can be cold in China during the winter their conserved energy helps them to survive
Which statement explains why the water cycle would slow dramatically during an ice age?
Ice reflects most of the solar radiation
What events that occur during other phases of the cell cycle might inhibit general metabolism?
Certain events during the cell cycle may inhibit or slow down metabolism. The copying of DNA in the nucleus an cytoplasm would be one of them.
What does slow is to name as winter is to what?
Season
How many eggs can a Queen bee lay in 1 year?
It depends which month. A queen does not lay at all during the winter. She will build up during the spring, and in the summer she can be laying up to 2,000 eggs a day. She will slow down again as winter approaches.
Why does the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere goes down during the summer months?
The amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide follows a slow upward trend, superimposed by a saw-tooth pattern with a peak during the northern hemisphere summer and a low during the northern hemisphere winter. These short term fluctuations are due to the vigorous growth of plants during the warmer months. The sourthern hemisphere does not balance this effect because many of its evergreen trees continue to grow all year around, and because of the smaller land area.
