17. Carbon mass budget. Consider the mass budget for carbon C in the volume boun

Question

17. Carbon mass budget. Consider the mass budget for carbon C in the volume bound- ing the entire Earth atmosphere, assuming the following sources and sinks within the volume: zero chemical production or loss, 120 Gt/yr C emitted via respiration from the biosphere, 90 Gt/yr C emitted from the ocean, 9 Gt/yr C emitted from anthro- ic sources, 123 Gt/yr C absorbed via photosynthesis by the biosphere, 92 Gt/yr C absorbed by the ocean. (a) (1 pt) Write an equation for the carbon mass budget (b) (1 pt) Is the mass of C in balance? If not, is the total mass increasing or decreas- ing? (c)1 pt) For the above case, assuming all of this carbon is stored within carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere, what is the annual rate of increase in the concentration of CO2?

Explanation / Answer

(a)

Equation for carbon mass budget in Gt = Number of years x 120 + Number of years x Number of years x 90 + Number of years x 9 - Number of years x 123 - Number of years x 92

= Number of years x 219 - Number of years x 215

Carbon mass budget in Gt = Number of years x 4

(b) No, the mass of carbon is not in balance as we are getting 4 giggatons of carbon added every year as shown above.

(c) 1 molecule of CO2 have a mass = 12+2x16= 44 grams (Atomic mass of carbon is 12 while for oxygen is 16)

mass of carbon in CO2 is = 12 gram

12 gram of carbon is present in 44 grams of CO2

1 gram of carbon is present in (44/12) grams of CO2

4 x 1015 gram of carbon is present in (4 x 1015 x 44/12) grams of CO2 = 14.66 x 1015

Therefore annual rate of increase in CO2 is 14.66 x 1015 grams

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