Carbon cycle (simple)

Question 1

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

The carbon cycle is nature’s way of recycling carbon atoms. It is the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the Earth and then back into the atmosphere.

Question 2

What is cellular respiration?

Answer 2

The process of converting glucose into a form of energy (ATP) that is useable by cells.

Question 3

What is the first step of the carbon cycle? Atmosphere carbon - plants (photosynthesis)

Answer 3

Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants. In the atmosphere carbon is attached to oxygen, in the CO2 gas. Through the photosynthesis process, CO2 is pulled from air to produce food from carbon for plant growth

Question 4

Second step? Plants - animals (feeding)

Answer 4

Carbon moves from plants to animals. Through food chains, the carbon that is in plants moves to the animals that eat them. Animals consuming animals get carbon from their food too.

Question 5

Third step? Carbon; organisms - soil (decay)

Answer 5

Carbon moves from plants and animals to soils. When plants/animals die, their bodies leave decay, bringing carbon into the ground. Some is buried and will become fossil fuels in millions of years.

Question 6

Fourth step? By carbon, hello respiration (respiration)

Answer 6

Carbon moves from living things to atmosphere. Each time you exhale, CO2 releases into the atmosphere. Animals + plants rid themselves of CO2 gas through respiration.

Question 7

Fifth step? Fossils; carbon - atmosphere (combustion)

Answer 7

Carbon moves from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned. When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants etc most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere, as CO2.

Question 8

Sixth step? Carbon - ocean (sedimentation)

Answer 8

Carbon moves from the atmosphere to the oceans. The ocean + other water bodies absorb some carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon dissolves in the water.

Question 9

What are the three major carbon-bearing reservoirs?

Answer 9

1. Lithosphere (earth)
2. Hydrosphere (water)
3. Atmosphere (air)
   Organisms generally have an important role in maintaining the balance between the different reservoirs.

Question 10

What is Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?

Answer 10

CO2 is the main route of energy transfer between organisms - main way we trap heat in our atmosphere. It is a gas consisting of one part carbon and 2 parts oxygen.

Question 11

Glucose + Oxygen = H2O plus CO2. What is this reaction called, and what does it do?

Answer 11

Glucose + Oxygen (C6H12O6 + 6O2) = Carbon dioxide + Water +ATP (Adenosine triphosphate? source of energy for use and storage at the cellular level) (CO2 + H2O)
Glucose and oxygen react together in cells to produce carbon dioxide and water and releases energy. The reaction is called aerobic respiration because oxygen from the air is needed for it to work. Energy is released in the reaction in the form of heat.

Question 12

Seventh step? Eruptions! Fresh mate!

Answer 12

When volcanoes erupt, they vent the CO2 gas to the atmosphere and cover the land with fresh silicate rock to begin the cycle again.