A Level Geography Key Terms: Carbon

Type of carbon: Found in plant materials

Being able to access reliable and affordable sources of energy

The Arctic region is warming twice as fast as the global average

When a country imports more energy than it produces domestically

Type of carbon: Found as CO2, CH4, and CO

When external shocks in trade partners supply can make energy unaffordable

Methane or natural gas held in underground sandstone and shale; extracted via fracking

The removal and storage of carbon from the atmosphere

Unconventional oil source made from sand, clay, water and bitumen

Movements of carbon from one store to another

Release of CO2 into the atmosphere as animals breathe

Emitting carbon into the atmosphere as a result of volcanic eruptions

Unconventional oil source; found in oceanic crust

One of Earth's major climate regulating ocean currents. It transports warm water which then sinks, cools and heads south again

Fuels produced from organic matter

When the maximum rate of petroleum production is reached, after which it will decline sharply

Biological and chemical processes determine how much carbon on Earth's surface is stored and released at any one time (Carbon Cycle)

Type of carbon: Found in rocks as biocarbonates and carbonate

Describes the range and combination of sources required to supply a country with energy

A natural cycle that moves carbon between land, oceans and atmosphere (Carbon Cycle)

Removal of CO2 from the atmosphere to promote plant growth

Describes the flow of energy between a producer and a consumer, and how it reaches the consumer

Break down of organic matter, releasing CO2 into the soils