20 terms in 6
6.1: Carbon Cycle
The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical process by which carbon atoms cycle between the atmosphere (as carbon dioxide), t
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.1: Carbon Cycle
Carbon stores (or carbon reservoirs) are locations where carbon is accumulated and held in various forms. Major stores i
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.3: Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which autotrophic organisms (primarily plants, algae, and some bacteria) use solar ener
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.3: Photosynthesis
Respiration is the metabolic process by which organisms oxidize organic compounds (primarily glucose) to release energy
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.4: Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources formed from the compressed remains of ancient organisms, particularly plan
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.4: Fossil Fuels
Energy security is the reliable availability of adequate and affordable energy resources in sufficient quantities to mee
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.4: Fossil Fuels
Energy mix (or energy portfolio) refers to the combination of different energy sources used to generate electricity and
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.5: Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy derived from naturally replenishing sources that are not depleted with use, including solar r
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.5: Renewable Energy
Unconventional fossil fuels are petroleum and natural gas deposits that are difficult and expensive to extract, requirin
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.5: Renewable Energy
The progressive exhaustion of non-renewable fossil fuel resources as extraction rates exceed the geological formation of
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.5: Renewable Energy
The point of maximum global oil production, theoretically occurring when approximately half of recoverable reserves have
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.6: Carbon Capture and Storage
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide by capturing CO2 either directly f
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.6: Carbon Capture and Storage
The progressive replacement of fossil fuel energy production with renewable sources, driven by climate change concerns a
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.7: Ocean Acidification
Ocean acidification is the process by which ocean pH decreases as oceans absorb excess atmospheric carbon dioxide, formi
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.7: Ocean Acidification
Deforestation is the permanent conversion of forest to non-forest land use, such as agriculture, pasture, urban areas, o
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.8: Climate Change Feedbacks
Climate feedbacks are processes that either amplify or reduce initial climate forcing. Positive feedbacks amplify warmin
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.8: Climate Change Feedbacks
Climate tipping points are critical thresholds where the climate system abruptly shifts to a fundamentally different sta
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.9: Afforestation
Afforestation is the planting of forests on land that has not recently supported forests, used for carbon sequestration,
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security
6.9: Afforestation
A suite of technologies for extracting CO2 from emission sources or ambient air and storing it in geological formations,
The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security