Carbon CyclingCarbon Cycling
• Conservation of MassConservation of Mass
• Energy Flow and TransformationEnergy Flow and Transformation
• Human InteractionsHuman Interactions
• Earth System ScienceEarth System Science
CarbonCarbon
• Fourth most Fourth most abundant element abundant element in the universein the universe
• Basis for lifeBasis for life
• 4 bonds4 bonds
• Forms complex Forms complex moleculesmolecules
• Gaseous formGaseous form
Buckminster Fullerene
Megaphone
Bastadin-5Moronic Acid
Images removed due to copyright restrictions.
PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis
• Where does the mass of Where does the mass of a tree come from?a tree come from?
• COCO22 + H + H22OOCHCH22O + OO + O2 2
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Global Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Gas. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/global-carbon-cycle.html
RespirationRespiration
• Mitochondria, bacteria, fires, Mitochondria, bacteria, fires, combustion enginescombustion engines
• OO22 + CH + CH22OOCOCO22 + H + H22OO
• Fossil Fuels burned at 20,000 times Fossil Fuels burned at 20,000 times natural rates of oxidationnatural rates of oxidation
Global Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Gas. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2010, from http://www.global-greenhouse-warming.com/global-carbon-cycle.html
““Missing Sink” of Atmospheric Missing Sink” of Atmospheric CO2CO2(in Gigatons Carbon—10(in Gigatons Carbon—1015gmC)gmC)• Fossil Fuel BurningFossil Fuel Burning =6.0+/- 0.5=6.0+/- 0.5
• DeforestationDeforestation =0.9+/-0.7=0.9+/-0.7
• Atmospheric Increase Atmospheric Increase =3.2+/-0.1=3.2+/-0.1
• Oceanic UptakeOceanic Uptake =2.0 +/-0.8=2.0 +/-0.8
• ““Missing Sink”Missing Sink” =1.7 +/1.2=1.7 +/1.2
Mass BalanceMass Balance
• Total mass is always conservedTotal mass is always conserved
• Each element is also conserved in a Each element is also conserved in a closed systemclosed system
• Can you design a closed system that Can you design a closed system that is sustainable indefinitely?is sustainable indefinitely?
• Eco-sphere.comEco-sphere.com
Cycles are linkedCycles are linked
• COCO22 + H + H22OO CH CH22O + OO + O22
• Carbon goes upCarbon goes up
• Oxygen goes downOxygen goes down
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Biosphere 2Biosphere 2
• http://http://www.b2sciencwww.b2science.org/e.org/
• 7 people, O2 7 people, O2 began to dropbegan to drop
• Why?Why?
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NewsNews
• http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/09/23/http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/09/23/artificial_noses_have_the_scent_of_promise/artificial_noses_have_the_scent_of_promise/
• http://online.wsj.com/article/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574406681308037234.htmSB10001424052970203440104574406681308037234.htmll
• http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090921/sc_nm/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090921/sc_nm/us_usa_giantsquidus_usa_giantsquid
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8266500.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8266500.stm• http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8267686.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8267686.stm• http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/09/23/http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2009/09/23/
at_un_summit_obama_promises_action_on_climate/at_un_summit_obama_promises_action_on_climate/