Carbon Cycle Notes
What is the carbon cycle?
In the ___________ ___________, carbon is transferred from inside the Earth to the atmosphere, oceans, crust, and to living things. Every ____________ of Carbon has always been on this planet since the beginning of time.
Carbon: All living things are made of _______. Carbon is part of the ocean, air, and rocks. In the atmosphere, carbon is _____________ to some oxygen in a gas called _______.
Plants use _______ and ___________ to make their own food and grow - ___________________. Carbon sinks. Carbon becomes _________ of the plant.
Photosynthesis: During the carbon cycle, plants take in CO2, remove the carbon atoms in order to build a molecule of ________, and release _________.
Creating Fossil Fuels: When the plants _______, carbon is returned back to the soil. Over millions of years, layers of dead plants form __________ __________. Carbon in the dead plants form _________.
Burning Fossil Fuels: Humans ____________ fossil fuels for energy. Burning fossil fuels ___________ carbon back into the atmosphere.
Burning other Organic Material: Burning ___________ or any other natural material _____________ the amount of carbon released back into the atmosphere…….Smoke…..what is it made out of?
Breathing: ____________ release carbon back into the atmosphere by ________ out CO2. Animals also give carbon back by _________________.
Greenhouse Gases: Carbon dioxide is a ______________ _______ and traps heat in the atmosphere. Without these gases, Earth would be a __________ world. However, too much gases = ____ __________.
Why is there extra CO2? When we burn fossil fuels, _____ _______ carbon dioxide is put into the atmosphere. This causes ___________ ____________: the gradual increase in the temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere.
What happens when we destroy our forests?
• ____________ in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere
• ____________ in the amount of oxygen production
Which human activity most likely contributed to the rapid increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide?_______________________________________________________________
What would likely happen if a change in climate caused a large percentage of the world’s plants to die?________________________________________________________________