4.3 Carbon Cycling

Nature of Science
1. Making accurate, quantitative measurements
  1. Reliable data on the concentration of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere
Aim 8
1. Diverting crops such as maize from a food to a fuel crop
Methane
1. Methanogenic archaeans produce methane from organic matter in anaerobic conditions
  1. Diffuses in the atmosphere
    1. Oxidized to CO2 and water in the atmosphere
  2. Accumulates in the ground
    1. Partially decomposed organic matter
      1. Coal
      2. Gas
      3. Oil
      4. Peat forms because of acidic or anaerobic conditions in waterlogged soils
Construct a diagram
1. CO2 is produced by cell respiration
  1. CO2 diffuses
    1. Atmosphere
      1. Analysis of data from air monitoring stations to explain annual fluctuations
        Carbon fluxes should be measured in gigatonnes
    2. Water
      1. In aquatic ecosystems carbon is present as dissolved CO2 and hydrogen carbonate ions
      2. Reef-building corals and mollusca have hard parts
        Calcium carbonate
        Can become fossilized in limestone
2. Autotrophs convert CO2 into carbohydrates and other carbon compounds
3. CO2 is produced by the combustion of biomass and fossilized organic matter

Resource summary

	Created by Steve Harton over 10 years ago