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Understanding the Carbon Cycle Dynamics

The document summarizes the carbon cycle in 3 paragraphs. It explains that carbon moves between the atmosphere, living things like plants and animals, soils and sediments, oceans, and fossil fuels. Key processes include photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and the formation of fossil fuels and limestone over millions of years. Burning fossil fuels and changing land use have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, trapping more heat and causing issues like ocean acidification.

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26 views2 pages

Understanding the Carbon Cycle Dynamics

The document summarizes the carbon cycle in 3 paragraphs. It explains that carbon moves between the atmosphere, living things like plants and animals, soils and sediments, oceans, and fossil fuels. Key processes include photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and the formation of fossil fuels and limestone over millions of years. Burning fossil fuels and changing land use have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, trapping more heat and causing issues like ocean acidification.

Uploaded by

samchang4567
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

P2

In the beginning, carbon is attached to oxygen in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,


and through photosynthesis, autotrophs and plants absorb carbon dioxide in the air to
create food. Animals then consume these plants through food chains, and carbon
cycles get bioaccumulated into their bodies. Carbon moves from plants and animals to
soils because their bodies, wood, and leaves decay when they die, bringing the carbon
into the ground. Upon decomposition, carbon is released back into the atmosphere.
Some that are not released into the atmosphere are buried and become fossil fuels for
millions and millions of years. Carbon moves from living things to the atmosphere
since each time you exhale, you release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, called
respiration. These fossil fuels are then used for artificial activities, which pump more
carbon into the atmosphere.

P3
Carbon is found in the biosphere and stored in plants and trees. During
photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for their growth
and respiration, breaking down sugars to get energy. In the digestive tract of ruminant
livestock, methanogens produce methane in anaerobic conditions, contributing
significantly to the environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions when they
belch.

P4
Carbon is found in the hydrosphere dissolved in ocean water and lakes. Many
organisms use carbon to produce shells. Marine plants use carbon for photosynthesis.
The organic matter that is made becomes food in the aquatic ecosystem.

P5
Carbon is found in the lithosphere in the form of carbonate rocks. Carbonate rocks
came from ancient marine plankton that sank to the bottom of the ocean and were
then exposed to heat and pressure. Carbon is also found in fossil fuels, such as coal
and natural gas. When living things die, their bodies decompose, and carbon is
returned to the soil because saprotrophic bacteria and fungi break up dead organisms
and return nutrients to the soil for cycling.

P6
There are six main processes in the carbon cycle: photosynthesis, respiration,
exchange, sedimentation, extraction, and combustion.

P7
Burning fossil fuels, changing land use, and using limestone to make concrete release
carbon into the atmosphere. As a result, the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere rapidly rises, resulting in more heat being trapped. The ocean absorbs
much of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels. This extra carbon
dioxide is lowering the ocean’s pH through ocean acidification. Cutting down trees
and overharvesting plants means less photosynthesis occurs. Subsequently, less
oxygen is being released and increases the CO level, causing more carbon emissions.
2

P8
Citation

P9 thanks

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