How important are water and carbon to life on Earth?

Importance of water and carbon Why isn’t their life on other planets in our solar system?

Importance of water and carbon Why isn’t their life on other planets in our solar system?

Learning objectives To understand the importance of water in supporting life on the planet, the uses of water for humans, flora and fauna.

Why is water so important for life on earth? Watch this Crash Course.

Importance of water and carbon 1) Why is water so critical to life on a planet?

Importance of water and carbon Why is carbon so important for life on earth? Carbon is the building block of life on Earth. It is available for use in the natural world and by humans.

Importance of water and carbon Where on Earth would you find carbon? List as many sources as you can. Carbon is present in all four major spheres of the planet:  biosphere (the parts of the land, sea and atmosphere in which life can exist) hydrosphere (all of the Earth’s water) atmosphere (the gases surrounding the Earth), lithosphere (rocky outer layer of Earth). Carbon is present in the living and non-living parts of the earth. Carbon makes up approximately 50% of all living tissues.

Importance of water and carbon We all encounter carbon throughout our daily lives. Your body contains carbon. The air you breathe contains carbon dioxide. The food you eat contains carbon. The clothes you wear contain carbon. 3) Why is carbon an important element for life on Earth?

A final thought Could life that doesn’t rely on water and carbon exist A final thought Could life that doesn’t rely on water and carbon exist? Watch this Science Show program to help you decide.

Carbon and Water Cycles

The Water and Carbon Cycles “For dinner last night you ate a dinosaur and drank its wee.” Disgusting but true?

The Water and Carbon Cycles At a global scale is the water and carbon cycle a closed or open system? Water and carbon flow in closed systems between the atmosphere, the oceans, land and the biosphere. If the water cycle is a closed system – where did the water come from originally? Watch this science show.

The Water and Carbon Cycles What are the main stores in the global water cycle? How does water move between these stores? How long does it take for the cycling of water?

The Water and Carbon Cycles What is the main store in the global carbon cycle? Is the circulation of the carbon between these stores generally faster or slower than the water cycle?

The Water and Carbon Cycles At a global scale both the carbon and water cycle are closed. Can you give examples of when they are open on a smaller scale?

The Water and Carbon Cycles 1) Why is the global water and carbon cycle classed as a closed system? 2) Put in order of size the 3 water stores. How do they flow between them? 3) Put in order of size the carbon stores? How does it flow between them? 4) Give an example of when the water and carbon cycle operates as an open system.

The global reservoirs of water 5) What are the top 3 global reservoirs of water? 6) Why does the atmosphere has such a small amount?

The Water and Carbon Cycles Final thought What connections are there between the water and the carbon cycle? See how many you can identify.

The Global Carbon Cycle Inputs, outputs and processes

Starter: What are the biggest stores of carbon? In your groups, on A3 paper, draw a diagram to connect the stores with the various flows (processes)

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/image_maps/3-carbon-cycle

The Global Carbon Cycle Inputs and outputs in the carbon cycle 1) Draw an illustrated flow diagram for the slow carbon cycle and another for the fast carbon cycle (page 101).

Plenary What does the term permafrost mean? How could the melting of the permafrost impact on the carbon cycle? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLCgybStZ4g

The Global Carbon Cycle Processes: Carbon exchanges Watch the following clip, without the sound, showing you the above average and below average amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the course of the year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41604760

The Global Carbon Cycle Processes: Carbon exchanges Can you explain the changes in CO2 levels in March and July? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41604760 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41604760

The Global Carbon Cycle The processes of the carbon cycle Carbon exchanges 1) Describe the following carbon exchanges (fluxes): Precipitation Photosynthesis Weathering (carbonation, freeze-thaw, biological) Respiration Decomposition Combustion (must include human activities) Which two fluxes are most important to the fast carbon cycle? How important are the oceans in the carbon cycle? How do they take it in and give out carbon?

The Global Carbon Cycle Carbon Sequestration in the Oceans Read physical and biological pump Explain the distribution between the global distribution of upwelling and downwelling?

The Global Carbon Cycle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQh_28UOcVg from 0.57 The processes of the carbon cycle Carbon Sequestration in the Oceans 2) Describe how the physical (inorganic) pump takes in and gives out carbon to and from the oceans. 3) Describe how the biological (organic) pump exchange carbon between the oceans and the atmosphere?

The Global Carbon Cycle How can humans impact on the biological pump? Why is this a problem?

Inputs, outputs and stores The Water Cycle Inputs, outputs and stores

The Global Water Cycle – Inputs, outputs between the stores 1) Draw a diagram to show the water cycle. Do this from memory without referring to your textbook or notes.

The drainage basin water cycle Water has one way in to a drainage basin and three ways out. What are they?

Fill in the gaps fun!

What is the water balance of the drainage?

Overland flow: Sheet

The drainage basin water cycle 2) Write down the water balance equation. Flows 3) How do the following impact on the drainage basin water cycle: Precipitation Transpiration Evaporation Interception: You must include the factors that impact on interception loss (table 4.5) Infiltration, throughflow, groundwater flow and run-off. Include the two flowpaths to streams and rivers and the conflicting ideas to explain the infiltration into the ground. Cryospheric processes

Plenary: What factors affect the global distribution of water in the atmosphere?

The Global Water Cycle – Inputs, outputs between the stores 1) Describe the geographical distribution of water vapour in the atmosphere in Figure 4.3. 2) Explain how temperature, oceans and land masses influence this distribution.

Starter: The drainage basin water cycle What is condensation? Why does it happen? Can you name cloud types?

The drainage basin water cycle https://scied.ucar.edu/cloud-types

The drainage basin water cycle 2) Write down the water balance equation. Flows 3) How do the following impact on the drainage basin water cycle: Precipitation Transpiration Evaporation Interception: You must include the factors that impact on interception loss (table 4.5) Infiltration, throughflow, groundwater flow and run-off. Include the two flowpaths to streams and rivers and the conflicting ideas to explain the infiltration into the ground. Cryospheric processes Condensation, cloud types and fog.

The drainage basin water cycle For clouds to form the air needs to cool. What are the 4 main ways for cooling to occur?

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates How does the temperature of the atmosphere change as the altitude increases? This is called the Environmental Lapse Rate.

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates The ELR is the vertical temperature profile of the lower atmosphere at any given time. On average the temperature falls by 6.5⁰ C for every kilometre of height gained.

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates How does a parcel of rising air temperature change as altitude increases? Is there a pattern?

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates The DALR is the rate at which a parcel of dry air (i.e. less than 100 per cent humidity so that condensation is not taking place) cools. Cooling, caused by adiabatic expansion, is approximately 10⁰C/km. Adiabatic processes

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates Why do clouds form at 1000 metres?

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates What happens to the temperature change once condensation occurs? Why could this be?

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates The SALR is the rate at which a saturated parcel of air (i.e. one in which condensation is occurring) cools as it rises through the atmosphere. Because condensation releases latent heat, the SALR, at around 7⁰ C/km, is lower than the DALR.

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates Why does the cloud formation stop at 4000 metres?

Cloud formation and lapse rates

The drainage basin water cycle Cloud formation and lapse rates What can cause the air to cool to create clouds? Explain the differences between the environmental, dry and saturated lapse rates. Why is the saturated adiabatic lapse rate lower than the dry adiabatic lapse rate? Give a brief explanation of atmospheric stability/instability. Explain why the stability of the air varies in figure 4.6 a,b,c. In Figure 4.6 what is the likelihood of cloud development in each?

Water Cycle Processes Catchment Hydrology – Homework Read pages 104 – 105 and carry out your own research. What is meant by “catchment hydrology”? What factors influence catchment hydrology? Why is an understanding of catchment hydrology important?

Water Cycle – Processes Task Study the diagram on page 102. What role does vegetation play in the drainage basin water cycle? How might precipitation end up leaving the water cycle as leakage? “If human action altered the channel storage it will alter the whole drainage basin” – why is this correct? Complete the activity on page 103.