Carbon Cycle PowerPoint Notes

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?________________________________________________________________

 

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