Geological cycle
- Created by: luigi64
- Created on: 09-03-20 19:43
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- Carbon and the Geological cycle
- Stores
- Lithosphere - Earth's crust as fossil fuels + calcium carbonate (pure carbon in graphite/diamonds)
- Atmosphere - CO2 and other gaseous compounds containing carbon (i.e CH4)
- Biosphere - Living + dead orgamisms
- Hydrosphere - Dissolved CO2
- Fluxes
- Main fluxes are between ocean - atmosphere (78.4PgC/yr) & land - atmosphere (photosynthesis + respiration; 123PgC/yr + 118.7PgC/yr respectively)
- Formation of geological carbon stores
- Sedimentary rocks
- Sediment is deposited in layers in a low-energy environment. Further layers are deposited and sediment undergoes diagenesis
- The lower layers become compressed and chemical reactions cement particles together
- The conversion of loose, unconsolidated sediment into solid rock is known as lithification.
- The lower layers become compressed and chemical reactions cement particles together
- Sediment is deposited in layers in a low-energy environment. Further layers are deposited and sediment undergoes diagenesis
- Limestone
- Shale + coal etc.
- Remains of animals and plants sank to bottom of rivers, lakes and seas and subsequently covered by silt and mud
- The remains continued to decay anaerobically + were compressed by further accumulations of dead organisms and sediment.
- Remains of animals and plants sank to bottom of rivers, lakes and seas and subsequently covered by silt and mud
- Oceanic limestone
- Shale + coal etc.
- Sedimentary rocks
- Processes that release carbon
- Chemical weathering
- CO2 combines with water vapour to form carbonic acids. This reacts with surface minerals + dissolves them forming new material such as calcium carbonate
- Volcanic outgassing
- Happens at hot-spots / divergent plate boundaries. pockets of carbon dioxide exist in the Earth's crust. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can release these gas pockets.
- The release of trapped/ dissolved gas due to heat + pressure changes
- Chemical weathering
- Stores
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