Key Words Flashcards
What is carbon cycle?
The process by which carbon moves through Earth’s spheres, including the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which plants and other autotrophs use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
What is cellular respiration?
The process by which organisms break down glucose to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.
What is a carbon sink?
A natural reservoir, like forests or oceans, that absorbs and stores more carbon than it releases.
What are fossil fuels?
Energy sources like coal, oil, and natural gas formed from the remains of ancient organisms.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The trapping of heat in Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.
What is deforestation?
The large-scale removal of forests, often for agriculture or urban development, which reduces carbon absorption.
What is ocean acidification?
The decrease in the pH of ocean water caused by increased absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
What is autotroph?
An organism, such as a plant, that produces its own food using sunlight or chemical energy.
What is decomposer?
An organism, like bacteria or fungi, that breaks down dead matter and recycles carbon back into the environment.
What is geosphere?
The solid parts of Earth, including rocks, soil, and fossil fuels, where carbon is stored long-term.
What is hydrosphere?
All of Earth’s water, including oceans, lakes, and rivers, where carbon dioxide is dissolved and cycled.
What is biosphere?
The part of Earth that includes all living organisms, which interact with the carbon cycle through processes like respiration and photosynthesis.
What is the law of conservation of mass?
A scientific principle stating that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.
What is greenhouse gas?
A gas, such as carbon dioxide or methane, that traps heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
