Positive and negative feedback in the carbon dioxide-ocean temperature loop

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23. Feedback loops
a) As carbon dioxide levels increase in the atmosphere more outgoing infrared energy is absorbed which increases air temperatures and therefore ocean temperatures. As ocean temperatures increase carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere because less carbon dioxide can be dissolved in seawater (i.e. the solubility of carbon dioxide decreases with higher temperatures). Draw the appropriate arrows between the boxes to complete the feedback loop described above.

I have attached what I think is the right way to display the feedback loop but I don't understand the positives and the negatives could someone explain
 
Attachments
  • Flow diagram of five unconnected boxes: Atmospheric carbon dioxide (top), Amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in ocean (left), Absorption outgoing infrared radiation (right), Ocean temperatures (bottom left), Air temperatures (bottom right).
    uuu.png
    11.1 KB · Views: 608
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pink94 said:
23. Feedback loops
a) As carbon dioxide levels increase in the atmosphere more outgoing infrared energy is absorbed which increases air temperatures and therefore ocean temperatures. As ocean temperatures increase carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere because less carbon dioxide can be dissolved in seawater (i.e. the solubility of carbon dioxide decreases with higher temperatures). Draw the appropriate arrows between the boxes to complete the feedback loop described above.

I have attached what I think is the right way to display the feedback loop but I don't understand the positives and the negatives could someone explain

Welcome to the PF. Maybe try uploading the attachment again? I'm not seeing it.
 
I did its not showing my positives and negatives though
 
For some reason, in your original post, only the attachment thumbnail shows up, but when I click on the thumbnail, instead of getting an enlarged view, I just get a blank black screen. I was able to go into your original post and grab the URL for the attachment. This should display it directly in the post:

Diagram of five boxes linked by a feedback loop: atmospheric carbon dioxide; amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in ocean; absorption outgoing infrared radiation; ocean temperatures; air temperatures.


Does that show up?

Regarding the actual question, what do you think is the relationship between these quantities. Hint: the process is cyclical, so just choose somewhere to start and go through the process, labelling the direction of the change in each quantity.

Another interesting question: is this positive or negative feedback?
 
Attachments
  • Flow diagram of five boxes: Atmospheric carbon dioxide at top; Amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in ocean at left; Absorption outgoing infrared radiation at right; Ocean temperatures at bottom left; Air temperatures at bottom right. No arrows shown.
    attachment.php?attachmentid=63660&stc=1&d=1383622904.png
    11.1 KB · Views: 413
Image is "black on transparent", and the background of attachment window is black, so the image is displayed black on black.