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A Level > Geography: Carbon Cycle > Flashcards

Geography: Carbon Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

What is the geological carbon cycle?

A
  • long term carbon cycle involving carbon moving through 3 major stores: land, ocean and air.
  • closed system
  • cycle is generally balanced.
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2
Q

give an example to show how the geological carbon cycle is balanced. (volcano)

A
  • volcanic eruptions send CO2 into the atmosphere.
  • results in rising temperatures, increased evaporation and more atmospheric moisture.
  • leads to acid rain, which weathers rocks and creates biocarbonates.
  • this rebalances the cycle.
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3
Q

name some outputs of the geological carbon cycle.

A
  • animal shells/skeletons.
  • decaying vegetation forms coal.
  • sands and clays compact to form sandstone.
  • photosynthesis
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4
Q

name some inputs of the geological carbon cycle.

A
  • combustion of fossil fuels.
  • volcanic eruptions.
  • decomposition of bones, shells etc.
  • chemical weathering.
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5
Q

What is the bio-geochemical carbon cycle?

A

movement of carbon through the geological carbon cycle as well as through living organisms.

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6
Q

What are the 4 key processes in the bio-geochemical carbon cycle?

A
  • photosynthesis
  • respiration
  • decomposition
  • combustion
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7
Q

list the earth’s carbon stores from biggest to smallest

A
  • mantle
  • sedimentary rocks
  • ocean and land biota
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8
Q

What are residence times?

A

the average time carbon spends in a reservoir.

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9
Q

What is the biological carbon pump?

A

this is the ocean’s biologically driven sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere to deep sea water and sediment. some CO2 is absorbed into oceans and some is vented.

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10
Q

What is the marine carbon pump?

A

involves the production and recycling of 2 types of carbon: organic matter and carbonate.

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11
Q

What is the physical carbon pump?

A

CO2 distributed throughout oceans by upwelling and downwelling. this is the global transfer of carbon, deep ocean conveyor does this.

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12
Q

what is the role of thermohaline circulation in the physical carbon pump?

A

it drives the physical carbon pump. the currents are responsible for moving carbon around the oceans. transfers carbon between stores.

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13
Q

how do primary producers sequester carbon?

A

its absorbed into the chlorophyll of plants in the process of photosynthesis.

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14
Q

what is the effect of increasing temperature on:

  • climate
  • ecosystems
  • hydrological cycle
A

CLIMATE:
Antarctic ice shelves will melt, changing density and convection in the southern ocean

ECOSYSTEMS:
biodiversity reduced as habitats shift poleward or due to lower rainfall and soil moisture. tundra effected by thawing permafrost which releases trapped methane.

HYDROLOGICAL CYCLE:
rivers dry up due to low precipitation in certain regions.

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15
Q

name some factors which can effect the energy mix of a country

A
  • physical landscape
  • GDP
  • governance
  • access to resources
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16
Q

how does physical availability affect the energy mix of the UK and Norway?

A

UK

  • until the 1970s, the UK relied on coal from Yorkshire etc.
  • following the discovery of oil and gas reserves, the energy mix has changed.
  • as of recent, the government has considered more eco-friendly ways of getting energy.

NORWAY
-HEP is the main energy source due to the physical landscape.

17
Q

How does technology affect the energy mix of the UK and Norway?

A

UK

  • last deep coal mine closed in 2015, still have many more coal reserves but it’s too expensive to extract.
  • deepwater drilling in the North Sea

NORWAY
-deepwater drilling in the North Sea

18
Q

what is energy security?

A

ensuring access to reliable/affordable energy to meet current and future demands

19
Q

what are the 3 main goals of the world energy council?

A
  • energy security
  • energy equity
  • environmental sustainability
20
Q

what is the role of consumers in energy production?

A
  • they express their views on different energy sources which can influence decisions made by governments/TNCs.
  • make purchasing choices
21
Q

what is the role of national governments in energy production?

A

DANISH GOVT.

  • invest a significant amount of money in wind power.
  • aim to be fossil fuel free by 2050
  • they’ve shared their knowledge of wind power with other countries
22
Q

what is the role of energy TNCs in energy production?

A
  • open up new energy pathways.
  • TNCs wish to keep trade flowing and control prices
  • governments can put them under state control to maximise income.
23
Q

what is the role of OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) in energy production?

A
  • co-ordinates member countries’ oil policies

- generates a stable income by regulating oil export prices.

24
Q

what are the alternative energy sources available to the UK?

A

-the eden project and ECS energy plan to build the UK’s first geothermal power plant in St. Austell

25
Q

describe the trans-Siberia gas pipeline in terms of its geographical area and history of conflict.

A
  • transports gas from Russia to the whole of Europe via Ukraine.
  • tensions have escalated as they cut off gas supply to Ukraine. Further conflict in the Crimea following annexation.
26
Q

how is deep water oil extracted and what are the possible consequences?

A

drill into the seabed to exploit oil reserves, transported using pipelines.

consequences: risk of storms causing damage to pipelines, long distance from shore to pipelines.

27
Q

name some radical energy sources and their uses.

A
  • hydrogen fuel cells: no pollution but hydrogen is difficult to safely store so it can be dangerous.
  • electric cars: no emissions, however, charging is time-consuming and they’re expensive to buy.

both are only small-scale and are only available to developed and emerging economies.

28
Q

name some renewable energy sources, include advantages and disadvantages.

A

HEP:

  • increases the availability of water.
  • expensive and depends on physical factors.

SOLAR:

  • supplies free electricity.
  • small scale
  • efficiency depends on availability of sunlight.

TIDAL:

  • no waste products
  • can’t be used in land-locked countries

WIND:

  • accessible by any country.
  • visual pollution.
29
Q

what is the strait of hormuz and what conflict has happened there?

A
  • oil shipping pathway in the Middle East.
  • was hijacked by pirates carrying $100b in crude oil
  • iran threatened to close the pathway if the EU sanctioned its exports.
  • France, UK and USA sent in naval ships to monitor the area.
30
Q

to what extent is the UK energy secure?

A

NOT SECURE:

  • imports 60% of fuel.
  • 150 years of coal sources left.
  • can’t be fully secure until it decreases reliance on fossil fuel imports.

SECURE:

  • 22% of fuel from renewable sources in 2015.
  • any fuel that isn’t imported is from renewable sources within the UK.

A Level (36 decks)

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