carbonate minerals form in the oceans at a higher rate.
The rate at which the oceans dissolve CO2 gas increases, pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere.
The reduced atmospheric CO2 concentration leads to a weakened greenhouse effect that counteracts the initial warming and cools the planet back down.
If Earth cools a bit,
carbonate minerals form more slowly in the oceans.
The rate at which the oceans dissolve CO2 gas decreases, allowing the CO2 released by volcanism to build back up in the atmosphere.
The increased CO2 concentration strengthens the greenhouse effect and warms the planet back up
The CO2 cycle acts as a thermostat that regulates the temperature of the Earth…
Feedback Loop
Positive Feedback
Mechanisms that make things worse…
e.g., Increasing CO2 in the atmosphere leading to the release of more CO2
Negative Feedback
Mechanisms that are self-correcting…
e.g., Increasing CO2 in the atmosphere leading to higher rate of CO2 removal, such as our CO2 cycle.
Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics plays an important role in the CO2 cycle in that it helps to carry the carbonate rocks into the mantle, which are then released again by volcanic activities.
Earth's lithosphere is broken into pieces (the plates).
These plates float on top of the mantle, interacting with each other to produce the geological features we see and feel today.
Click on image to start animation
Where Did O2 Come From
The most important source of O2 on Earth is Life and Photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis converts CO2 to O2, and incorporates carbon into amino acids, proteins, and other components of living organisms.
O2 will be depleted from the atmosphere very rapidly without a source.
O2 is a very reactive chemical that likes to be combined with other elements through oxidation. For examples, CO2, H2O, FeO (rust) That's how we make fire!
O2 Absorbs UV, which also transform some of the O2 into O3, which absorbs even more UV

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