the carbon cycle & the carbon silicate cycle

Courtesy, Jesse and Sarah T. (Just pure awesome)

Forms of carbon.038% of the atmosphere is carbon dioxideIn the ocean there is carbonate, bicarbonate,

and other forms of dissolved inorganic carbonCarbon dioxide is also in sedimentary rock

such as limestone

The Definition (Get ready for this one)The Carbon Cycle is the global circulation of

carbon from the environment to living organisms and back to the environment

Let’s break this up into 3 simple steps…

Step 1During photosynthesis, plants, algae, and

certain kinds of bacteria remove carbon dioxide from the air and fix (or incorporate) it into chemical compounds like sugar

Step 2The compounds formed through

Photosynthesis are used by the producers or the consumers that eat the producers for cellular resparation

Step 3Decomposers break down other organisms

and through cellular respiration return carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere

Fossil FuelCoal, natural gas, and oil formed from

remains of ancient organisms, are vast deposits of carbon compounds (I’d say these items are quite useful in today’s age)

The carbon is returned to the atmosphere when the fuels are burned (very green, wouldn’t you say?)

Here’s a Nifty Picture!

The Carbon Silicate Cycle is when the Carbon Cycle interacts with the Silicate Cycle over millions years

How does it start?Chemical weathering processesAtmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in rain

water (yum) forming carbonic acid (don’t eat that). As this weak acid moves through the soil, it dissociates to create hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions

When hydrogen ions enter silicate rich minerals such as feldspar, they interact and release calcium ions

What Happens Next, You Ask?The calcium and bicarbonate ions eventually

reach the ocean (I like the ocean, don’t you?)Then, microscopic marine life use them to

make their shellWhen the marine organisms die (poor snails)

their shells sink to the ocean floor, are covered by sediment, and then form very thick carbonate deposits

Final Product (it’s about time)Eventually, the deposits form sedimentary

rock, such as limestone (People have used this to build for thousands of years!)

Sometimes, (lifameem in Hebrew), this rock at the bottom of the ocean will be lifted – that is why the summit of Mount Everest is made of sedimentary rock (who knew!?)

And it Continues (contain your excitement)

Once the sedimentary rock is exposed, chemical weathering process returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and water

The cycle begins anew, so let’s go over it again (jokes)

We Just Love Pictures