APES Video Notes 1.4 - Carbon Cycle

Summary

In this educational video, Mr. Smeeds explores the carbon cycle, focusing on the movement of carbon through Earth's systems. He discusses carbon sinks, sources, and reservoirs, emphasizing the processes that shift carbon compounds. The video highlights how human activities, particularly fossil fuel combustion, disrupt the balance by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere faster than natural processes can absorb it, contributing to climate change. Key concepts include the quick combustion of fuels versus the slow sedimentation and burial that forms fossil fuels, and the role of photosynthesis and respiration in the carbon cycle.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The carbon cycle involves the movement of carbon-containing molecules like carbon dioxide, glucose, and methane between Earth's systems.
• 🔄 Carbon sinks are reservoirs that store more carbon than they release, helping to mitigate climate change, while carbon sources release more carbon than they store, contributing to atmospheric CO2 levels.
• 🌿 Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are short-term processes that quickly balance each other out, with plants removing CO2 from the atmosphere and animals releasing it back.
• 🔥 The combustion of fossil fuels is a quick process that releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, leading to an imbalance in carbon reservoirs.
• 🌊 The ocean is a significant carbon reservoir, with processes like direct exchange, photosynthesis by marine organisms, and sedimentation playing key roles in carbon storage.
• 🌱 Plants and algae act as carbon sinks by taking in CO2 through photosynthesis and storing it in the form of glucose or other organic compounds.
• 🐄 Animal agriculture is a carbon source due to the methane emissions from livestock, contributing to climate change.
• 🌳 Deforestation releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere and reduces the capacity of forests to act as carbon sinks.
• 🚜 The extraction and combustion of fossil fuels are anthropogenic activities that have dramatically altered the carbon cycle over the past 250 years, increasing atmospheric CO2 levels.
• ⏳ The geological processes of sedimentation and burial, which form fossil fuels, are slow and long-term, contrasting with the rapid extraction and combustion by humans.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video on the carbon cycle?

The video focuses on how carbon cycles through Earth's systems, specifically looking at the sinks, sources, and reservoirs of carbon, and the processes that move carbon compounds between them.

What are the objectives for the day in the video?

The objectives are to explain the steps and reservoir interactions in the carbon cycle, including the movement of carbon molecules between sources and sinks, the distinction between long-term and short-term reservoirs, and the cycling of carbon between photosynthesis and respiration.

How does the combustion of fossil fuels affect the carbon cycle?

The combustion of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than it is removed through sedimentation and burial, leading to an imbalance in carbon reservoirs and an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

What is a carbon sink?

A carbon sink is a reservoir that stores more carbon than it releases, effectively taking carbon out of the atmosphere and helping to mitigate or reduce the effects of climate change.

What are some examples of carbon sinks mentioned in the video?

Examples of carbon sinks include algae in the ocean, sediments at the bottom of the ocean, plants on land, and soil, which store carbon through processes like photosynthesis and decomposition.

What is a carbon source?

A carbon source is a process that releases more carbon than it stores, thereby increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

What are some examples of carbon sources discussed in the video?

Examples of carbon sources include fossil fuel combustion, animal agriculture, and deforestation, all of which release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

How does photosynthesis contribute to the carbon cycle?

Photosynthesis is a process carried out by plants, algae, and phytoplankton where they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into glucose, acting as a carbon sink.

What is cellular respiration and how does it relate to the carbon cycle?

Cellular respiration is a process where organisms use oxygen to break down glucose, releasing energy and carbon dioxide. It is considered a carbon source because it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

How does the direct exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere affect the carbon cycle?

Direct exchange allows carbon dioxide to move quickly between the ocean and the atmosphere, potentially leading to an increase in oceanic carbon dioxide levels and contributing to ocean acidification.

What is the significance of the burial process in the carbon cycle?

Burial is a slow geological process that involves the compression of organic matter into sedimentary rock or fossil fuels, acting as a long-term carbon reservoir.

How does the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels impact the carbon cycle?

The extraction and combustion of fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than it is naturally sequestered, leading to an imbalance and an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Understanding the Carbon Cycle

This segment introduces the carbon cycle, focusing on how carbon moves through Earth's systems, including its sinks, sources, and reservoirs. The discussion highlights the processes that facilitate the movement of carbon compounds, such as carbon dioxide, glucose, and methane. The objective is to explain the interactions and steps within the carbon cycle, emphasizing the differences between short-term and long-term reservoirs. The video also addresses the rapid release of carbon dioxide due to human activities, such as fossil fuel combustion, which leads to an imbalance in carbon reservoirs and contributes to global warming. Carbon sinks, like algae and plants, are highlighted as they help mitigate climate change by storing carbon, while carbon sources, including fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, are identified as processes that increase atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

05:00

🌱 Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration, and Ocean-Atmosphere Exchange

This part of the script delves into the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, which are crucial for the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis, carried out by plants, algae, and phytoplankton, is described as a carbon sink because it removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converts it into glucose. Cellular respiration, a process performed by all living organisms, is explained as a carbon source because it releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The balance between these two processes is emphasized, as they result in no net increase in atmospheric carbon. Additionally, the script discusses the direct exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere, which is a relatively quick process that maintains a balance. The potential for ocean acidification due to increased carbon dioxide levels is also mentioned, along with the role of marine organisms in taking up carbon dioxide and the long-term carbon reservoirs formed through sedimentation and burial.

10:02

⛏️ The Impact of Fossil Fuel Extraction and Combustion

The final segment addresses the geological processes of burial and extraction, which are key to understanding the long-term storage of carbon in the form of sedimentary rock and fossil fuels. The script explains how organic matter, such as dead plants and marine organisms, gets compressed over millions of years to form fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Extraction, through mining, and the subsequent combustion of these fossil fuels for energy release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at a rate much faster than natural processes can remove it. This rapid addition of carbon dioxide due to human activities is identified as a significant disruptor of the carbon cycle, contributing to climate change. The script concludes by emphasizing the need to understand these processes to appreciate how human actions have altered the carbon cycle over the past 250 years.

Keywords

💡Carbon Cycle

The carbon cycle refers to the continuous movement of carbon-containing molecules, such as carbon dioxide, glucose, and methane, between the Earth's systems. It is central to the video's theme as it illustrates how carbon moves between different sources and sinks, including the atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms. The video explains that the carbon cycle involves both quick processes like fossil fuel combustion and slow processes like sedimentation and burial, which are crucial for maintaining the balance of carbon in the environment.

💡Sinks

In the context of the carbon cycle, sinks are reservoirs that store more carbon than they release, effectively removing carbon from the atmosphere. The video mentions examples such as algae in the ocean and plants on land, which take in carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, and sediments at the bottom of the ocean that store organic matter. These sinks are vital for mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

💡Sources

Sources in the carbon cycle are processes that release more carbon than they store, thus increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The video highlights fossil fuel combustion, animal agriculture, and deforestation as significant sources. These activities contribute to climate change by adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which is a key concern discussed in the video.

💡Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is a process carried out by plants, algae, and phytoplankton where they convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into glucose, an organic molecule that stores energy. The video explains that photosynthesis is a carbon sink because it removes carbon from the atmosphere. It is a critical process in the carbon cycle, balancing out the carbon released through respiration.

💡Respiration

Cellular respiration is a process in which organisms, including animals and plants, break down glucose to release energy, producing carbon dioxide as a byproduct. The video clarifies that while respiration is a carbon source, it is balanced by photosynthesis in a short-term cycle, maintaining a relatively stable level of atmospheric carbon dioxide.

💡Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, are formed from the remains of ancient organisms that have been compressed and buried over millions of years. The video discusses how the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than it is naturally removed through sedimentation and burial, leading to an imbalance in the carbon cycle and contributing to global warming.

💡Sedimentation

Sedimentation is the process by which organic matter, such as dead algae or shells, sinks to the bottom of bodies of water and accumulates as sediment. The video describes sedimentation as a slow process that, over long periods, leads to the formation of sedimentary rock or fossil fuels, acting as a long-term carbon reservoir.

💡Burial

Burial in the context of the carbon cycle refers to the long-term geological process where sediments are compressed over time to form sedimentary rock or fossil fuels. The video emphasizes that burial is a slow process that contrasts with the rapid extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, which quickly releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere.

💡Combustion

Combustion is the process of burning fossil fuels, which releases energy but also carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The video points out that combustion is a quick process that, when compared to the slow burial of carbon, leads to a rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change.

💡Climate Change

Climate change, as discussed in the video, is a result of the imbalance in the carbon cycle caused by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels. The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide leads to global warming, which has various environmental consequences. The video underscores the importance of understanding the carbon cycle to address the challenges of climate change.

Highlights

Introduction to the carbon cycle and its importance in Earth's systems.

Exploration of carbon sinks, sources, and reservoirs, and their roles in the carbon cycle.

Discussion on how carbon moves between sources and sinks, with a focus on short-term and long-term reservoirs.

Explanation of the carbon cycle's short loop between photosynthesis and respiration.

Insight into the long-term storage of carbon through the burial of biomass and decomposition.

Analysis of the rapid release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere due to fossil fuel combustion.

Identification of the imbalance caused by the accelerated extraction and combustion of fossil fuels.

Connection between increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and global temperature rise.

Definition and examples of carbon sinks that mitigate climate change effects.

Clarification of carbon sources and their contribution to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Importance of photosynthesis in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and its role as a carbon sink.

Understanding cellular respiration as a carbon source and its role in the carbon cycle.

Balance between photosynthesis and cellular respiration in maintaining atmospheric carbon levels.

Direct exchange of carbon dioxide between the ocean and the atmosphere and its implications.

Role of marine organisms in carbon sequestration and their impact on ocean acidification.

Process of sedimentation and burial as long-term carbon reservoirs in the ocean.

Formation of fossil fuels through burial and sedimentation and their role in the carbon cycle.

Extraction and combustion of fossil fuels as a rapid process that disrupts the carbon cycle.

Practice question on identifying processes in the carbon cycle that have changed dramatically over the past 250 years.

Transcripts

hey everybody it's mr smeeds welcome to

ape spider notes for topic 1.4

which is the carbon cycle today we'll be

focused on how

carbon cycles through earth's systems so

specifically we'll be looking at the

sinks sources and reservoirs of carbon

and the processes that move carbon

compounds between those

our objective for the day is to be able

to explain the steps

and the reservoir interactions in the

carbon cycle so

specifically we'll be looking at the

movement of carbon molecules between

sources and sinks we'll be looking at

how some reservoirs are long-term

while others are short-term we'll also

talk about how carbon cycles back and

forth in a relatively short loop between

photosynthesis

and respiration in living things then

finally we'll talk about how the burial

of carbon from biomass

and decomposition results in a long-term

storage of carbon

whereas the digging up of these fossil

fuels and their combustion

results in a very short-term release of

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

our essential science skill that we'll

be practicing today is explaining

relationships between different

characteristics

of environmental concepts and we'll do

that primarily in a

visual model setting today so

first we'll take a brief overlook at the

carbon cycle so remember that it's the

movement of carbon-containing molecules

so

primarily carbon dioxide glucose methane

which is ch4

between carbon sources and sinks

really important key detail is that some

steps are very quick

such as the combustion of fossil fuels

on the other hand some steps are very

slow such as the sedimentation

of decomposing organic matter and then

its burial underground and its

compression into fossil fuels

so it takes a really long time

and we can see that in this diagram here

imagine the

shells of organic organisms or dead

algae floating to the bottom of this

ocean

so that's called sedimentation and then

as they're compressed and buried into

sedimentary rock

or into fossil fuels that's a really

really long process

now on the other hand if we look at step

four the extraction it's really really

quick to dig up carbon and combust it

and that returns carbon to the

atmosphere in the form of co2

so that's going to lead to an imbalance

in the reservoirs that are storing

carbon

because digging up fossil fuels and

combusting them

releases carbon in the atmosphere far

far far faster

than it's removed through sedimentation

and burial it leads to an imbalance

and an increase in carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere

now this is a problem because the

atmosphere is a key reservoir of carbon

but as the level of carbon dioxide in

the atmosphere increases

so does the global temperature so if

you've heard of global

warming or climate change this is

occurring because humans are increasing

the concentration of carbon dioxide in

the atmosphere primarily by digging up

these fossil fuels and burning them

so if we talk about carbon sinks these

are carbon reservoirs that are storing

more carbon than they release

so we can think of them as taking carbon

out of the atmosphere

so they can mitigate or reduce the

effects of climate change

in the ocean these are things like algae

which take in carbon dioxide through

photosynthesis

and sediments which store little bits of

carbon and organic matter at the bottom

of the ocean

and then on land we have plants which

also do photosynthesis and store carbon

in their tissues either in glucose or in

other structural compounds

and we also have the soil which can

store carbon as organisms die

and decompose and their carbon is added

to the soil

carbon sources on the other hand are

processes that release more carbon than

they store

so this is going to increase the

concentration of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere

some of those are fossil fuel combustion

so this is oil

coal and natural gas we also have animal

agriculture

animal agriculture releases a lot of

methane because the cows primarily

as well as other organisms that are

grown for human food are going to

release a lot of methane through both

their burps and their farts

and methane is a greenhouse gas so

that's also going to contribute to

climate change

then finally we have deforestation so

when we cut down trees

for logging or just to clear land for

agriculture

the carbon dioxide that they stored is

released into the atmosphere

and they don't go on storing more carbon

dioxide and so all of those are what we

call carbon sources

which adds carbon to the atmosphere now

we'll talk about

photosynthesis and cellular respiration

so photosynthesis

of course is carried out by plants algae

and phytoplankton

it's a process where they remove carbon

dioxide from the atmosphere

and convert it to glucose now that

glucose

is an organic molecule meaning it is

created by a living thing

and it's a biological form of carbon and

it's a

storage molecule which stores energy

that can be used later in the form of a

sugar

now this is a co2 or a carbon sink

because it's going to remove carbon from

the atmosphere

in increasing amounts so as trees get

taller they're incorporating more and

more carbon

into their bark into their roots into

their other structures so again you can

think of those trees as just continually

pulling

co2 out of the atmosphere a carbon sink

next we'll talk about cellular

respiration so this is something that

all living things do one common

misconception is that it's only animals

another misconception is that it's just

breathing breathing is just the act of

pulling in

air into your lungs and that's not the

same thing as respiration

cellular respiration is a process where

organisms actually use up oxygen that

they breathe into their lungs

or take into their body in some other

way and they break down glucose to

release energy

now that energy could fuel their

movement it could fuel their growth

but that's the key of cellular

respiration you're breaking glucose

which remember has that carbon from the

atmosphere to release energy

because this process releases carbon

dioxide in the atmosphere

we call it a carbon source but

it's very important to understand that

both of these processes happen very

quickly

and both of these processes balance each

other out so if you look at the equation

in the top equation we have

photosynthesis releasing oxygen

and producing glucose and then if we

look down at the bottom for respiration

organisms are going to take in oxygen

and glucose

they're going to give off co2 which

plants then take

back in to create glucose with

so these processes balance each other

out and we call this

no net increase in atmospheric carbon

because the carbon that's being produced

by animals through respiration is taken

up

by plants to produce glucose so think of

these as a

short-term cycle where the carbon is

just kind of looping back and forth

between plants and animals

we're not really increasing the net

amount of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere

because these processes are relatively

balanced next we'll talk about how

carbon cycles back and forth between the

ocean

and the atmosphere so direct exchange is

this action where carbon dioxide

actually just moves

back and forth directly between the

ocean

and the atmosphere so it can dissolve as

a gas right into the ocean

and they can dissolve right back into

the atmosphere it's very quick

and it occurs in roughly equal

directions so kind of like

photosynthesis

and cellular respiration this process

results in

basically balanced amounts of carbon

dioxide in the ocean in the atmosphere

now this is a problem as it relates to

global climate change because

as we increase the carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere we're also going to increase

the carbon dioxide levels in the ocean

and carbon in the ocean leads to ocean

acidification

so the ocean becomes more acidic and

that can have consequences for the

organisms that live there

if you look at this diagram look at

arrow 5 that's going to show this direct

exchange where carbon dioxide can move

from the atmosphere

directly into the ocean and then

directly out of the ocean right back

into the atmosphere so again we call

that direct exchange

now that carbon dioxide in the ocean can

be taken up by algae and phytoplankton

so they'll take the co2 and they will

convert it into sugars via

photosynthesis so that's one way

that the carbon dioxide can be taken out

of the ocean

we also have coral reef and other marine

organisms that create

shells they're going to take co2 out of

the ocean as well

in order to make their shells which are

made of calcium carbonate

so notice the carbon in calcium

carbonate they're going to have to take

that carbon out of the ocean

so they also represent a carbon sink in

the ocean so they can remove some of the

co2

added to the ocean by the atmosphere

sedimentation

is the process where when marine

organisms die so

coral or fish or shellfish the remains

are going to sink to the bottom of the

ocean floor

and over time all of the pressure of

that water above

will smash these organisms down to tiny

little pieces that we call sediments

then burial is a process where these

sediments over

long long periods of time so thousands

if not millions of years

get compressed by all of the pressure of

that water in the ocean above them

to form sedimentary rock so these are

things like limestone

and sandstone because they take so long

to form

we call them long-term carbon reservoirs

right so we'll wrap up our coverage of

the carbon cycle today by talking about

burial

extraction and combustion so remember

that burial is a very slow geological

process

meaning it involves rocks that's going

to store carbon in underground sinks

like sandstone or even fossil fuels

so the process is that sediments so

little bits of rock or dead organic

matter

will be compressed into sedimentary rock

or fossil fuel

by the pressure of overlying water or

rock layers

so think about little bits of organic

matter just getting kind of pressed

together

over and over for just millions of years

and eventually they actually form a new

substance which is either a sedimentary

rock

or in this case a fossil fuel

fossil fuels coal oil and natural gas

are also formed

through this process of burial and

sedimentation

so the fossilized remains of organic

matter

especially dead ferns or if we're

talking about oil in the ocean marine

organisms

like algae and phytoplankton get

compressed by those overlying

water or rock layers until they actually

compress

together to form these fossil fuels

so if we take a look at the diagram here

we can see again organic matter in the

ocean such as

fish or plants get broken down over time

to foreign organic sediments

and then as those are compressed by the

amount of water that's over top of them

or rock layers

they form fossil fuels such as oil and

natural gas

extraction is the digging up through

mining

of those fossil fuels and then burning

them for energy which releases

co2 into the atmosphere so that

combustion

so when you put gasoline in your car

your car lights it on fire and it makes

your car go

great form of energy but it releases a

lot of co2 into the atmosphere

and so the problem here the big takeaway

from the carbon cycle

is that burial takes a long time the

formation of fossil fuels takes millions

of years so it's a very long term carbon

reservoir

but then the extraction and combustion

of fossil fuels happens very very

quickly

which results in co2 being added to the

atmosphere

far faster than it can be taken out our

practice frq for topic 1.4 today will

cover the skill

of explaining relationships between

characteristics of environmental

concepts

specifically using a visual

representation so there's a heavy

emphasis on using visual models in

apes and you need to identify a process

in this diagram that happens very

quickly

and one that happens very slowly then

you need to explain how the rate at

which

fossil fuels are transferred into the

atmosphere as shown in this diagram

has altered the carbon cycle during the

past 250 years

so think about a process in this diagram

that has changed dramatically over the

past 250 years

and explain how the rate of that process

is altering the carbon cycle