OCR A Level Geography Earth's Life Support System Summary - 3a (Human factors can disturb and enhance the natural processes and stores in the water and carbon cycles)

1.2. How much change occurs over time in the water and carbon cyc
 3a. Human factors can disturb and enhance the natural processes and stores in the



Sequestration = The process of storing CO2 in underground Sequestration of waste carbon:
geologic formations. The CO2 is usually pressurized until it
becomes a liquid & then it is injected into porous rock Description
formations in geologic basins  The combustion of fossil fuels & the transfer
stores to the atmosphere & oceans is the main
Use of fossil fuels: warming
 One possible solution to this problem is to captu
Description power plants & industry
 Fossil fuels are used to produce energy in the home -  This new technology of carbon sequestration is
burned to produce heat, in large power stations they are storage (CCS)
used to produce electricity & they are also used to power  Technology has been piloted at just a handful of
engines  It involves 3 states = CO2 is separated from pow
 When fossil fuels are burned in power stations & by is then compressed, pressurised & transported b
vehicles/planes = gases (as unwanted by-products known it’s injected into porous rocks deep underground
as carbon emissions) enter the atmosphere is stored permanently
- CO2 is given off when fossil fuels e.g. oil & coal are
burned Impact on the carbon cycle
 CCS could eventually play an important part
Impact on the carbon cycle greenhouse gas emissions
 Transfer significant quantities of carbon into the  E.g. in the USA - 40% of all CO2 emissions are f