6.1C Chemical weathering and the release of carbon

• Chemical Weathering:

  The geological part of the carbon cycle interacts with the rock cycle in a series of constant processes which can be broken down into five stages

  
• Volcanic Outgassing

  • The Earth’s crust contains pockets of carbon dioxide which can be disturbed by volcanic eruptions or seismic activity 
  • This release of gas that has been dissolved, trapped, frozen or absorbed in rock is called outgassing
  • Outgassing happens at:
  • Volcanic zones associated with plate boundaries (including subduction zones and spreading ridges)
  • Areas with no current volcanic activity, e.g., the geysers in Yellowstone National Park, USA
  • Direct emissions from fractures in the Earth’s crust