Carbon-Silicate Cycle
By: Tyler Molton
&
Michael A. Logan
What is carbon silicate?
• Defined as the geochemical cycle that is
naturally occurring reversible chemical
reaction with summary equation
CaSiO3+CO2<=>CaCO3+SiO2.
• reaction is generally shifted in the favor of
carbonate formation under near surface
temperature and pressure conditions, but
shifts to silicate formation at temperatures
above 300 °C
The cycle as a process
• This cycle begins when CO2 in the atmosphere
dissolves in the water to form weak carbonic acid that
falls as rain.
• The second step is then the acidic water travels
through the ground and creates erosion of the Earth’s
rocks that are silicate-rich.
• The erosion of the rocks release ions like calcium and
bicarbonate
• Lastly the ions enters the grounds surface and
eventually travels to the ocean.
Geological Importance
• This cycle is important to stabilize the
concentration of carbon and silicone in the
atmosphere.
• It can create negative feedback on the global
temperature with a typical time scale of a few
million years, which effectively counters
water vapor and carbon dioxide short-term
positive feedback.
Diagram
References
• http://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/vis
ual/img_med/geochemical_carbon.jpg
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl
=en&q=define:CarbonSilicate+cycle&ei=N8qCS93QOYy1tgeoxv3
dBg&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title
&ved=0CAYQkAE
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonatesilicate_cycle