Earth's Spheres
Which sphere includes all living things?
Biosphere
What gas moves around the carbon cycle?
Carbon dioxide
What is hazard reduction burning?
Controlled burning to reduce fuel loads and prevent bushfires
Name one human activity that increases carbon dioxide.
Burning coal
Burning petrol
Deforestation
Which Earth sphere contains the air?
Atmosphere
Which sphere contains most of Earth's water?
A. Biosphere
B. Hydrosphere
C. Atmosphere
D. Lithosphere
B. Hydrosphere
Which processes removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
Ocean absorption
Who has practised cultural burning in Australia for thousands of years?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
Why does burning fossil fuels increase climate change?
It releases stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Respiration releases CO2 back into the atmosphere. Name another process.
Combustion or decomposition/breakdown of dead organisms.
Name the four Earth spheres.
Biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere
Which process releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere?
A. Photosynthesis
B. Respiration
C. Sedimentation
D. Weathering
B. Respiration
Which statement is TRUE?
A. Cultural burning aims to maximise the amount burned.
B. Hazard reduction burning is only done after bushfires.
C. Cultural burning is carefully planned to care for Country.
D. Both types are exactly the same
Which activity removes a carbon sink?
A. Planting trees
B. Deforestation
C. Photosynthesis
D. Ocean absorption
B. Deforestation
Name a naturally occurring carbon source.
Volcano eruption, cellular respiration, bushfires, decomposition of dead organisms
A tree absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Which two spheres are involved?
Biosphere and Atmosphere
Name 2 carbon sinks.
Forests, ocean, soil, fossil fuels
Give ONE difference between cultural burning and hazard reduction burning.
Cultural burning has cultural and ecological goals.
Hazard reduction mainly reduces bushfire risk.
Cultural burns are usually cooler and smaller.
List two ways agriculture/farming changes the carbon cycle.
Clears vegetation which removes plants for photosynthesis therefore less carbon sinks. Machinery and livestock also release carbon.
A carbon atom is in the atmosphere. Describe one pathway it could take to end up in the biosphere.
Atmosphere to plant (biosphere) through photosynthesis
A bushfire burns a forest and releases carbon dioxide. Name the Earth's sphere involved and explain how they interact.
Biosphere (trees burn)
Atmosphere (CO2 released)
Lithosphere (soil affected)
A forest is cut down and burned. Describe TWO ways this affects the carbon cycle.
Releases stored carbon into the atmosphere.
Fewer trees means less photosynthesis.
More greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere.
Explain how cultural burning helps to increase biodiversity in comparison to hazard reduction burning.
Uses cool, low intensity fires which leaves some areas unburnt. Allows more plant species to survive and animals to leave fast enough. Hazard reduction uses hot flames so fire-loving plants will thrive more than others that aren't.
A country wants to reduce climate change. Which would have the greatest positive impact and why?
• Plant more forests
• Burn more coal
• Cut down forests
• Increase oil use
Plant more forests because trees absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, increasing carbon storage.
"Burning fossil fuels doesn't change the carbon cycle because the carbon was already on Earth."
Explain why this statement is incorrect.
Sample Answer:
The carbon was stored underground in the lithosphere for millions of years. Burning fossil fuels releases that stored carbon into the atmosphere much faster than it can be removed, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and contributing to climate change.