Carbon Cycle and Its Processes

The video explains the carbon cycle's role in the earth system, highlighting its importance to climate due to greenhouse gases like CO2 and CH4. It details carbon reservoirs, their mass, and residence times, and describes carbon's movement through the atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. Photosynthesis and net primary productivity (NPP) are discussed, along with the marine biosphere's role in carbon cycling. The video also covers the forms of carbon in oceans and their chemical reactions, emphasizing the importance of carbonate ions and limestone formation.

Which two greenhouse gases are primarily involved in the carbon cycle?

• Nitrous oxide and ozone

• Carbon dioxide and methane

• Oxygen and nitrogen

• Sulfur dioxide and ammonia

What is the main form of carbon in the atmosphere?

• Carbon dioxide

• Carbon monoxide

• Ozone

• Methane

What is the residence time of atmospheric carbon dioxide?

• 50 years

• 10 years

• 100 years

• 5 years

How does carbon move from the biosphere to the crust?

• Through weathering

• Through respiration

• Through burial

• Through photosynthesis

What is the net primary productivity (NPP)?

• The rate of photosynthetic activity

• The carbon exchange rate between reservoirs

• The total carbon in the atmosphere

• The amount of carbon in the oceans

Which areas have high net primary productivity due to upwelling?

• Deserts

• Deep ocean

• Coastal regions

• Polar ice caps

What is the biological pump in the marine biosphere?

• The exchange of gases between ocean and atmosphere

• The sinking of organic carbon to the ocean floor

• A method of measuring photosynthesis

• A process of carbon dioxide release

In which form does carbon exist in the ocean that can form limestone deposits?

• Methane

• Carbonate ions

• Carbonic acid

• Dissolved oxygen

What is the role of calcium ions in the ocean's carbon cycle?

• They reduce the ocean's salinity

• They are a source of carbon dioxide

• They help form limestone deposits

• They increase the ocean's acidity

How does carbon dioxide equilibrate between the ocean and atmosphere?

• Through volcanic activity

• Through chemical reactions with water

• Through photosynthesis

• Through sedimentation