Carbon cycle

6-8 mark questions EQ 1: How does the carbon cycle operate to maintain planetary health? 

Explain how global carbon is locked in stores of different sizes.

Explain the geological formation of carbon.

Explain the geological processes that are responsible for the release of carbon into the atmosphere.

Explain how biological processes sequester carbon on land and in the oceans.

Explain how photosynthesis plays an important role in regulating the composition of the
atmosphere.

For one named ecosystem explain why threats to it may have an impact on the carbon cycle

Explain the importance of fluxes to the carbon cycle (6)

Explain the significance of carbon sequestration (6)

Explain why a balanced carbon cycle is important for sustaining other Earth systems (6)

Explain why it is important that the carbon cycle remains in equilibrium (6)

Explain why the proportions of vegetation and soil as carbon stores vary between biomes (8)

Explain the significance of soil in the carbon cycle (6) 60

Explain the potential interruptions to the carbon cycle caused by the destruction of rainforests (6)

Explain why carbon is important to the nutrient and water cycles (6)

Explain the contributions of volcanic activity to the composition of the atmosphere in the past and
present (8)

Explain how natural processes can increase or decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere (8)

Explain the importance of geological carbon stores in balancing the carbon cycle (6)

Explain how carbon is stored during the diagenesis of sedimentary rocks (6)

Explain how human activity has released carbon from sedimentary rocks (6)

Explain how tectonic situations release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (6)

Explain how geological processes store carbon for a long time period (8)

Explain how the thermohaline circulation transfers carbon round the world and between the
atmosphere, ocean and seabed (8)

Explain how plants help to maintain a balance in the carbon cycle (6)

Explain how an increased drought frequency may affect forests as a carbon store (8)

Explain the role of oceans in the carbon cycle (6)

Explain one reasons why the Arctic is called a barometer for climate change (4)
Explain how human activities may cause the health of marine ecosystems to reach a critical
threshold (6)

EQ 2: What are the consequences for people and the environment of our increasing demand for
energy? 

Explain the impact of the changing global consumption of fossil fuels on the carbon cycle (6) (SAM 2).

Explain why energy pathways are prone to disruption (8) (SAM 2).

Explain the factors that determine access to energy resources.

Explain the factors that determine consumption of energy resources.

Explain why biofuels are becoming increasingly popular in some countries.

Explain why there is uncertainty about how ‘carbon neutral’ biofuels are.

Explain the limitations of radical technologies

Explain the impact of the changing global consumption of fossil fuels on the carbon cycle. (6)

Explain why energy pathways are prone to disruption (8)

Explain why patterns of energy consumption vary between countries (8)

Explain why energy pathways are prone to disruption (6)

Explain why the IPCC has a range of different CO2 future pathways (6)

Explain how players can secure energy pathways in the future (6)

Explain why renewable energy sources have costs in terms of their contribution to energy security
(8)

Explain reasons for differences in the level of energy consumption between countries (8)

Explain the relationship between economic development and energy consumption per capita (8).

Explain why some countries attempt to diversify their energy mix (6)

Explain the factors that affect a country’s energy mix (8) 61

Explain why there is increasing concern about carbon emissions being added to the atmosphere by
human activities, when amounts concerned are small compared to natural emissions (8) 

12 and 20 mark questions EQ 1: How does the carbon cycle operate to maintain planetary health? 

Evaluate the extent to which the growing demand for energy is the most important human factor in
changes in the carbon cycle (Draft SAM).

Evaluate the extent to which today’s increasing demand for energy is the most important factor
modifying the carbon cycle (SAM 1)

Assess the role of biological processes in the carbon cycle.

Assess the implications of the enhanced greenhouse effect on climate, ecosystems and the
hydrological cycle.
Evaluate the role of human activities in upsetting the balance of the carbon cycle.

Evaluate the role of different players involved in the carbon cycle

For one named ecosystem assess why threats to it may have an impact on the carbon cycle

Assess the likely impacts of climate warming on the components of the carbon cycle shown in Figure
4B. (12)

Sample Assessment 1 Chose one ecosystem and assess why threats to it may have an impact on the
carbon cycle (12)

Evaluate the extent to which the growing demand for energy is the most important human factor in
changes in the carbon cycle. (20)

EQ 2: What are the consequences for people and the environment of our increasing demand for
energy? 

To what extent are domestic energy resources important in determining the energy security of
countries?

Assess the role of named players in securing energy pathways and supplies.

Using named examples, evaluate the economic and political impacts of disruption to energy supply
pathways.

Using named examples, assess the costs and benefits of exploiting fossil fuels in technically difficult
and environmentally sensitive areas.

To what extent do all renewable and recyclable energy resources have environmental and social
costs associated with their development?

EQ 3: How are the carbon and water cycles linked to the global climate system? 

Explain the possible impact of recent climate warming on the carbon cycle (Draft SAM)

Explain how biological carbon cycles and the water cycle are threatened by human activity.

Explain ocean acidification is having a negative impact on marine ecosystems.

Explain how the Kuznets’ curve model helps explain environmental degradation over time.

Explain the possible impact of recent climate warming on the components of the carbon cycle shown
in Figure 5. (8)

Explain why some governments refuse to accept the link between CO2 emissions and climate change
(8)

Explain how rising demand for fossil fuels in China and India could affect international agreements to
combat climate change (8)

Explain why there is uncertainty about future greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere (8)

Explain why there is uncertainty in the projections of future atmospheric CO2 concentrations (8) 62

Using named examples, assess the extent to which fossil fuels could be replaced by renewable
energy sources in the future.
Evaluate the extent to which mitigation is the most important strategy in tackling climate change

Evaluate the extent to which today’s increasing demand for energy is the most important factor
modifying the carbon cycle. (20)

Assess the links between consumption of oil and impact son the atmosphere and why international
climate agreements are needed (12)

Assess the geopolitical risks to the world of its reliance on fossil fuels (12).

Assess the extent to which one or more countries that you have studied is energy secure (12)

Evaluate the extent to which alternatives to fossil fuel energy sources provide an energy secure
future (20).

Evaluate the costs and benefits of using radical technologies to help solve future energy demands
(20)

Evaluate the potential of biofuels to help developed and developing countries achieve energy
security and reduce carbon dioxide emissions (20)

EQ 3: How are the carbon and water cycles linked to the global climate system? 

Assess the likely impacts of climate warming on the components of the carbon cycle shown in Figure
4B (SAM 1)

Assess how natural and human factors and feedback mechanisms make global climate change
projections uncertain.

Assess the geopolitical risks to the world of reliance on fossil fuels

Evaluate the view that adaptation strategies are the best solution in order to tackle climate change.

Evaluate the view that mitigation strategies are the best solution in order to tackle climate change.

Evaluate the role of named players in responding to climate change.

Evaluate the view that small scale strategies are the most important in responding to climate
change.

Evaluate the implications for human well-being caused by the degradation of the water and carbon
cycles (20)

Evaluate the extent to which mitigation is the most important strategy in tackling climate change

Evaluate the role of different players involved in the carbon cycle (20

Evaluate the extent to which renewable energy sources can meet future global energy demand (20)

Evaluate the range of methods available to players for rebalancing the carbon cycle (20)

Evaluate the responses from different players to the threat of a large scale release of stored carbon
caused by planetary warming (20).

Evaluate the role of players in determining energy security in the future (20)

Evaluate the extent to which the carbon cycle and the water cycle are being threatened by human
activities (20) 63