The Carbon CycleHannah Evans Karen Sloan

Andrea RenegarKelsey Peckham

Definition of Carbon Cycle:the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms and the burning of fossil fuels

● All living things are made of carbon!

● Carbon is always moving, which is why it is called the Carbon Cycle.

Why is there a carbon cycle?

Steps of the Carbon Cycle

- In the atmosphere, carbon attaches to oxygen in carbon dioxide (CO2)

- Through photosynthesis, CO2 is pulled from the air to make food for plants from carbon.

Step 1 : Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants.

- Through food chains, carbon moves from plants to the animals that eat them.

- Animals that eat animals also receive carbon through this.

Step 2: Carbon moves from plants to animals.

- After the death of plants and animals, they start decaying.

- The carbon dioxide from their bodies then seeps back into the earth.

- Some of it will go miles deep in the earth, stay there for millions of years, and turn into fossil fuels.

Step 3: Carbon moves from plants and animals to the ground

- When you exhale, you breathe out CO2 into the atmosphere.

- Through a process called respiration, plants and animals get rid of CO2

Step 4 : Carbon moves from living things to the atmosphere.

- When humans burn fossil fuels, the carbon enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas.

- Each year, 5.5 billion tons of carbon is released by burning fossil fuels.

Step 5: Carbon moves from fossil fuelsto the atmosphere when fuels are burned.

- The bodies of water on earth, especially the oceans, absorb some of the carbon from the atmosphere.

Step 6: Carbon moves from the atmosphere to the oceans

Effects of Carbon Dioxide:

- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. - It traps heat in the atmosphere. - Without CO2, the Earth would freeze. - Yet, humans burn more and more fuel so

there is 30% more carbon dioxide in the air than there was 150 years ago. Earth is becoming a warmer planet.

This graph shows the increase in CO2 from the year 1900 - 2000

Sample Questions:

If the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases due to human activities, what do scientists predict will be the result?A. increased cases of sunburnB. warmer temperaturesC. increased incidence of earthquakesD. more snowfall in the winter

Answer: B

Due to the increase of carbon dioxide gas being released into the atmosphere, temperatures are getting proceedingly warmer.

For millions of years the carbon cycle has been in balance. Climatologists are concerned because data indicates the amount of carbon in the air is increasing. Which theory best explains this loss of atmospheric balance?A. CFAs have created a hole in the ozone.B. Society has increased the burning of fossil fuels.C. Environmentalists have increased the size of rain forests.D. Our society has recognized the danger of nuclear fission.

Answer: B

The more fossil fuels that are burned, the warmer temperatures get, therefore less atmospheric balance.

Where do animals get the carbon found in their bodies?A. from the airB. from eating foodC. from the soilD. from vitamins and minerals

Answer: B

Animals receive carbon through food chains. Animals eat plants and receive carbon, and animals that eat animals also receive carbon.

Questions?

Resource Sites● http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html● http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/research/themes/carbon/ ● https://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/cycles6.htm