Question

Analyze the given diagram of carbon cycle below. Part 1: What is happening at location G? Part 2: Which type of energy transformation is taking place at this location? Part 3: Justify why this process is a recycling of carbon in the carbon cycle. Use complete sentences to explain your answer.

Answer 1

Hello there!

Part 1: At location 1, what is happening is the combustion of fossil fuels in factories and power plants to produce carbon dioxide (CO₂), which enters the atmosphere in the Carbon Cycle. This process started on a widespread scale in the Industrial Revolution with the invention of the steam machine. The reaction for the combustion of carbon is shown below:

C+O₂ → CO₂

Part 2: At this location, different types of energy transformation are happening successively. Considering that this is a power plant, firstly the potential chemical energy in the coal is transformed into thermal energy, this thermal energy is then transformed into mechanical energy by the action of the steam, and lastly, the mechanical energy is transformed into electrical energy in the generator. 

Part 3: This process is a recycling of carbon in the carbon cycle because carbon that is transformed in this cycle eventually goes to carbon sinks (Fossil Fuels are carbon sinks). These carbon sinks sequestrate carbon and to return it to the atmosphere and recycling this carbon it is necessary to burn them in these factories. Thus, this is a recycling process in the carbon cycle. 

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