Carbon Cycle

Question 1

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

The movement of carbon around an ecosystem to be reused over and over again.

Question 2

Give the ffour stages of the carbon cycle.

Answer 2

1. Carbon enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide from respiration and combustion (the proccess by which fuels react with oxygen to release carbon dioxide and heat energy)
2. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by producers to make glucose in photosynthesis.
3. Animals feed on the plant passing the carbon compounds along the food chain. Most of the carbon consumed is released as carbon dioxide formed during aerobic respiration.
4. When the animals and plants die, decomposers break down the dead organisms and return the carbon stored to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide released during respiration.
   - Sometimes, the decomposition is blocked, and the dead organisms eventually form fossil fuels.