Lesson 4.14 Plate Tectonics and the Carbon Cycle

Last updated 10 months ago

15 questions

Read the article below and answer the questions about the text. This article is a popular science version of a scientific article. The embedded video shows the model that came from the research. 
The actual article is 
Evolution of Earth’s tectonic carbon conveyor belt
R. Dietmar Müller, Ben Mather, Adriana Dutkiewicz, Tobias Keller, Andrew Merdith, Christopher M. Gonzalez,Weronika Gorczyk & Sabin Zahirovic
Nature volume 605, pages629–639 (2022)

Lesson 4.14 Plate Tectonics and the Carbon Cycle

Last updated 10 months ago

15 questions

Read the article below and answer the questions about the text. This article is a popular science version of a scientific article. The embedded video shows the model that came from the research. 
The actual article is 
Evolution of Earth’s tectonic carbon conveyor belt
R. Dietmar Müller, Ben Mather, Adriana Dutkiewicz, Tobias Keller, Andrew Merdith, Christopher M. Gonzalez,Weronika Gorczyk & Sabin Zahirovic
Nature volume 605, pages629–639 (2022)

The video blow shows plate motions, carbon storage within tectonic plates and carbon degassing along mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones through time. Our carbon model shows these processes alone cannot explain global cooling in the Cenozoic Era. The effects of rock erosion, not shown here, played a key role. Arrows indicate plate motion speed.

Trim End | 00:32

Question 12 | 00:03

Questions 11 & 10 | 00:22

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Question 12

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Questions 11 & 10

00:22

Summarize the model presented in the article for why atmospheric carbon dioxide decreased during the Cenezoic Era. (You should have two major mechanisms)

Lesson 4.14 Plate Tectonics and the Carbon Cycle

Lesson 4.14 Plate Tectonics and the Carbon Cycle

Summarize the model presented in the article for why atmospheric carbon dioxide decreased during the Cenezoic Era. (You should have two major mechanisms)

What role do tectonic plates play in the carbon cycle?

How did the Cretaceous hothouse climate relate to tectonic plate movement?

What atmospheric CO₂ level characterized the Cretaceous hothouse?

What significant climate transition began in the Cenozoic Era

Where is carbon released into the atmosphere

The speed that the plates move is related to the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere

The areas in the model that are releasing the most carbon are colored

How does the pattern of carbon release change as the plates move? What are three things that you noticed?

In the model, the most carbon is being released at

The model shows an increase in carbon stored in the oceanic plates because of

Summarize the model presented in the article for why atmospheric carbon dioxide decreased during the Cenezoic Era. (You should have two major mechanisms)

What role do tectonic plates play in the carbon cycle?

How did the Cretaceous hothouse climate relate to tectonic plate movement?

What atmospheric CO₂ level characterized the Cretaceous hothouse?

What significant climate transition began in the Cenozoic Era

Where is carbon released into the atmosphere

Besides volcanism, other major processes involved in cycling carbon are

The areas in the model that are releasing the most carbon are colored

How does the pattern of carbon release change as the plates move? What are three things that you noticed?

In the model, the most carbon is being released at

The model shows an increase in carbon stored in the oceanic plates because of