Rocks
Description:
There are three types of rocks, Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic. Minerals that make up rocks may contain carbon, such as Malachite, Calcite, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Carbonate and Iron Carbonate. Limestone originated from once living biogenous ooze from ancient marine environments. Some organic material may also form rocky layers of coal. If some of the rock material contains carbon, it may turn into carbon dioxide when heated which is why volcanoes are so explosive!
There are three types of rocks, Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic. Minerals that make up rocks may contain carbon, such as Malachite, Calcite, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Carbonate and Iron Carbonate. Limestone originated from once living biogenous ooze from ancient marine environments. Some organic material may also form rocky layers of coal. If some of the rock material contains carbon, it may turn into carbon dioxide when heated which is why volcanoes are so explosive!
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Carbon Transfer Process: Chemical Weathering
NET EFFECT: Removes CO2 from the atmosphere and stores it in chemicals.
CARBON FLUX: 0.1 Billion Metric Tons / year
Rainwater (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere combine in the atmosphere and in soil and rock crevices to form a weak acid called carbonic acid (H2CO3). This carbonic acid weather's and chemically breaks down rocks, as shown in the photo, and also many materials used to construct buildings and other structures.
Rainwater then washes away the dissolved ions. Many of the dissolved ions are carried by rivers to lakes or oceans. Some of them (Si, Ca, and CO3 ions) are taken up in the growing shells of organisms (CaCO3 and SiO2). These shells settle to the bottom of the ocean when they die. Many of the shells eventually become parts of sedimentary rocks.
The net effect of this entire multistep process is that CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in shells and rocks. A generalized chemical equation sumarizing this process is:
CARBON FLUX: 0.1 Billion Metric Tons / year
Rainwater (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere combine in the atmosphere and in soil and rock crevices to form a weak acid called carbonic acid (H2CO3). This carbonic acid weather's and chemically breaks down rocks, as shown in the photo, and also many materials used to construct buildings and other structures.
Rainwater then washes away the dissolved ions. Many of the dissolved ions are carried by rivers to lakes or oceans. Some of them (Si, Ca, and CO3 ions) are taken up in the growing shells of organisms (CaCO3 and SiO2). These shells settle to the bottom of the ocean when they die. Many of the shells eventually become parts of sedimentary rocks.
The net effect of this entire multistep process is that CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in shells and rocks. A generalized chemical equation sumarizing this process is:
Carbon Transfer Process: Volcanism
NET EFFECT: Carbon previoiusly stored in rocks is released, mainly as CO2 into the atmosphere.
CARBON FLUX: 0.2 Billion metric tons / year
Rocks of Earth's crust that contain carbon are recycled by plate tectonic processes. This carbon is released in the form of CO2 when the rocks are melted, and the gas separates out and is erupted from volcanoes, such as the one shown in the photo.
These volcanoes most commonly occur near plate boundaries, along seafloor spreading ridges and subduction zones. The net effect of this process is that carbon stored in rocks is released in the form of CO2 into the atmosphere.
CARBON FLUX: 0.2 Billion metric tons / year
Rocks of Earth's crust that contain carbon are recycled by plate tectonic processes. This carbon is released in the form of CO2 when the rocks are melted, and the gas separates out and is erupted from volcanoes, such as the one shown in the photo.
These volcanoes most commonly occur near plate boundaries, along seafloor spreading ridges and subduction zones. The net effect of this process is that carbon stored in rocks is released in the form of CO2 into the atmosphere.