B4.1.7 - The Carbon Cycle Flashcards
What is the carbon cycle?
The process by which carbon is cycled through the atmosphere, the Earth, plants and animals
How is carbon dioxide removed from the environment?
From photosynthesis
How is carbon transferred from plants to animals?
The animals eat the plants
What is some of the carbon used to produce in animals?
Fats and proteins
How does carbon contribute to a plant?
It is needed for photosynthesis and is extra biomass
How is carbon released into the environment?
Respiration, decomposition and burning fossil fuels
How is carbon dioxide released in respiration?
All living organisms need to respire to produce energy and so carbon dioxide is produced
How does decomposition release carbon dioxide?
When plants, animals and algae die, decomposers break down their bodies and carbon dioxide is produced
How is burning fossil fuels a cause of carbon dioxide?
When fossil fuels are burned, the trapped carbon it contains is released
What is a fossil fuel?
A store of carbon
State examples of a fossil fuel.
Oil, coal and natural gas
Why has the carbon dioxide concentration been increasing?
The increase of human activity such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels
How does deforestation affect carbon dioxide levels?
Less trees mean that less carbon dioxide can be absorbed from the atmosphere
Why is there more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at night?
Plants can only remove carbon dioxide using light
