Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Life Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Carbon moves continuously among Earth’s systems - the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. Human activities have dramatically accelerated one part of this cycle: the release of carbon dioxide
Diagram 1.
Source: https://www.britannica.com/facts/fossil-fuel
Urban
But not all carbon remains in the atmosphere. On long timescales - tens of thousands to millions of years - some carbon becomes stored in rocks through geological processes. When organisms such as shell-forming marine life die, their calcium carbonate shells accumulate on the seafloor. Over time, heat and pressure lithify these sediments into limestone, locking carbon away for millions of years. Organic matter that settles into low-oxygen environments can become part of shale or deep-marine sediments, also contributing to long-term carbon burial.
The rate at which carbon is buried in rocks is far slower (tens to hundreds of megatons per year) than today’s fossil fuel emissions (over 9 gigatons per year). However, this geological burial is still an important part of the global carbon cycle because it acts as a long-term sink, gradually removing CO
Diagram 2.
Source: https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/fossil-fuels-pollution-statistics
Comparing fossil fuel emissions, urban CO
Table 1.
Year | Global Fossil Fuel CO | Urban CO |
|---|---|---|
1980 | 5.2 | 360 |
1990 | 6.3 | 378 |
2000 | 7 | 395 |
2010 | 8.4 | 420 |
2020 | 9.8 | 448 |
Graph of Information - Figure 1.
Table 2.
Rock Type | Carbon Burial Rate (MtC/year) |
|---|---|
Limestone | 150 |
Shale | 70 |
Carbonate Platforms | 110 |
Deep-Marine Sediments | 45 |
Graph of Information - Figure 2.
Using Table 1, describe the relationship between global fossil fuel CO2emissions and urban CO2 concentrations from 1980 to 2020. What pattern do you observe?
Which biological process in Diagram 1 contributes carbon back to the atmosphere?
Using Figure 1, explain how changes in global fossil fuel emissions relate to changes in urban CO2 levels. Support your answer with evidence from the graph.
Make a claim about how fossil fuel combustion in urban areas influences the movement of carbon among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Include a claim, evidence, and reasoning.
According to Table 2, which rock type has the highest carbon burial rate?
Using Figure 2, compare the carbon burial rates among the rock types shown. How does this information help scientists understand long-term carbon cycling between the atmosphere and geosphere?