THE CARBON CYCLE

What Is Carbon?
An

element basis of life of earth in ro !s" o eans" atmos#here

The

Found

Carbon C$ le
The

same arbon atoms are used re#eatedl$ on earth% The$ $ le bet&een the earth and the atmos#here%

'lants (se Carbon )io*ide

'lants

#ull arbon dio*ide from the atmos#here and use it to ma!e food +, #hotos$nthesis% The arbon be omes #art of the #lant -stored food.%

Animals Eat 'lants

When

or/anisms eat #lants" the$ ta!e in the arbon and some of it be omes #art of their o&n bodies%

'lants and Animal )ie

When

#lants and animals die" most of their bodies are de om#osed and arbon atoms are returned to the atmos#here% are not de om#osed full$ and end u# in de#osits under/round -oil" oal" et %.%

0ome

Carbon 0lo&l$ Returns to Atmos#here

Carbon

in ro !s and under/round de#osits is released 1er$ slo&l$ into the atmos#here% #ro ess ta!es man$ $ears%

This

C$ le + Re#eats O1er and O1er and O1er and O1er 2

Carbon Cycle Diagram

Carbon in Atmosphere

Decomposers break down dead things, releasing carbon to atmosphere and soil Fossil fuels are burned; carbon is returned to atmosphere

Plants use carbon to make food Plants and animals die Animals eat plants and take in carbon

Carbon slowly released from these substances returns to atmosphere

Bodies not decomposed after many years, become part of oil or coal deposits

Carbon in O eans
Additional 3an$

arbon is stored in the o ean%

animals #ull arbon from &ater to use in shells" et % die and arbon substan es are de#osited at the bottom of the o ean% eans ontain earth4s lar/est store of arbon%

Animals

The Carbon C$ le

Human Im#a t
Fossil

fuels release arbon stores 1er$

slo&l$ Burnin/ an$thin/ releases more arbon into atmos#here , es#e iall$ fossil fuels In reased arbon dio*ide in atmos#here in reases /lobal &armin/ Fe&er #lants mean less CO5 remo1ed from atmos#here

What We Need to )o
Burn

less" es#e iall$ fossil fuels #lant life" es#e iall$ trees

'romote