CARBON CYLE

GROUP 2
Acenas
Aroy
Cabrilles
Cinco
Toy
 WHAT IS CARBON
CYCLE?
• The carbon cycle is essentially nature's way of
reusing carbon atoms in different ways and in
varying places. It is the process in which carbon
travels from the atmosphere into organisms and
the Earth and then back into the atmosphere. But,
how does this process work?
THE CARBON CYCLE STEPS:

STEP 1
Carbon enters the
atmosphere as carbon
dioxide from respiration
(breathing) and
combustion (burning).
THE CARBON CYCLE STEPS:

STEP 2
Carbon dioxide is absorbed by
producers (life forms that make
their own food e.g. plants) to
make carbohydrates in
photosynthesis . These
producers then put off oxygen.
THE CARBON CYCLE STEPS:

STEP 3
Animals feed on the plants. Thus
passing the carbon compounds along
the food chain. Most of the carbon
these animals consume however is
exhaled as carbon dioxide. This is
through the process of respiration.
The animals and plants then
eventually die.
THE CARBON CYCLE STEPS:

STEP 3
The dead organisms (dead animals and
plants) are eaten by decomposers in the
ground. The carbon that was in their bodies is
then returned to the atmosphere as carbon
dioxide. In some circumstances the process of
decomposition is prevented. The
decomposed plants and animals may then be
available as fossil fuel in the future for
combustion.
• Atmospheric carbon dioxide comes from two primary
sources—natural and human activities. Natural
sources of carbon dioxide include most animals, which
exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product. Human
activities that lead to carbon dioxide emissions come
primarily from energy production, including burning coal,
oil, or natural gas.
Carbon is released into the atmosphere
in several ways:
• Through combustion of organic material which oxidizes the carbon it
contains, producing carbon dioxide (and other things, like water
vapour).
• Burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum products releases carbon
dioxide. Burning agro fuels also releases carbon dioxide.
 Carbon is released into the atmosphere in
several ways:
• Carbon is transferred within the biosphere as heterotrophs feed on
other organisms or their parts .
• Most carbon leaves the biosphere through respiration. When oxygen is
present, respiration occurs, which releases carbon dioxide into the
surrounding air or water. Otherwise, respiration occurs and releases
methane into the surrounding environment, which eventually makes
its way into the atmosphere or hydrosphere.
 CONLUSION:
• Carbon is an essential element in the bodies of living organisms. It is
also economically important to modern humans, in the form of
fossil fuels.
• Carbon dioxide {CO2}from the atmosphere is taken up by
photosynthetic organisms and used to make organic molecules,
which travel through food chains.