In a model, the air holds 800 units of carbon…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
In a model, the air holds units of carbon. Burning fuels adds units a year. The land and the ocean together take up of the carbon that is added. The rest stays in the air. Take the uptake as constant.
- How much carbon is added to the air in years?
- How many units are in the air after years?
- By what per cent has the air carbon increased? Give the answer to one decimal.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Carbon has a gaseous cycle, with its reservoir in the atmosphere and the ocean. Phosphorus has a sedimentary cycle, with its reservoir in rock, and no respiratory release into the air. For a pool in balance, .
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Given. Start . Added a year. is taken up. Time years.
Plan. Find the share that stays. Multiply by the carbon added in years.
Step 1. (a) The share that stays in the air is . The gain is units.
Step 2. (b) units.
Step 3. (c) , which is to one decimal.
Answer: units; units; .
Check. Burning added units in all, and went to the land and the ocean.
Watch out. The model has constant uptake. In a model with boxes that fill up, the share that stays in the air changes with time.
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