The Carbon Cycle

by Ryan Schoeplein

Josh WrightAnd Melvin the Moose

What is Carbon? Carbon is the fourth most

abundant element in the universe and is needed for life, as we know it, to exist.

Carbon can exist in many compounds but the one that affects the planet the most is CO2, or Carbon Dioxide

To the left are a 3D model of CO2 (top) and a Lewis Structure of CO2

What is the Carbon Cycle? The Carbon Cycle is

the cycle that transfers carbon throughout the Earth and between the many different ecosystems of the planet.

The picture to the right shows a basic concept of how carbon is distributed on the Planet

Why do we care?

The Carbon Cycle is important because its disruption is what causes global warming.

As Humans burn fossil fuels, we release CO2 into the atmosphere.

Because humans burn so many fossil fuels for industries and power, too much CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere, and the CO2 traps heat inside the planet, causing global temperatures to rise

The Carbon Cycle in an The Carbon Cycle in an AnimalAnimal

The Carbon cycle is The Carbon cycle is different for plants and different for plants and animals because they animals because they both use the Carbon in both use the Carbon in different ways.different ways.

Animals inhale oxygen Animals inhale oxygen and after using it to and after using it to break down sugars, break down sugars, expel the excess expel the excess products as CO2 products as CO2

This reaction is shown This reaction is shown to the rightto the right

The Carbon Cycle in a The Carbon Cycle in a PlantPlant

A plant uses CO2 in a A plant uses CO2 in a similar manner as an similar manner as an animal uses oxygen, for animal uses oxygen, for energy. The plant uses energy. The plant uses CO2 along with water CO2 along with water (H2O) and sunlight to (H2O) and sunlight to create its own simple create its own simple sugars which it then breaks sugars which it then breaks down for food. This is down for food. This is Photosynthesis, and is Photosynthesis, and is shown to the leftshown to the left

When the plant finishes When the plant finishes photosynthesis it releases photosynthesis it releases the excess product the excess product oxygen. oxygen.

The Carbon Cycles Relation The Carbon Cycles Relation to Other Sciencesto Other Sciences

The Carbon Cycle is related to multiple other topics, but in The Carbon Cycle is related to multiple other topics, but in particular it is key in the process of Carbon Sequestration and particular it is key in the process of Carbon Sequestration and Deep Sea Carbon StorageDeep Sea Carbon Storage

This is because these two methods are used to balance out the This is because these two methods are used to balance out the disrupted Carbon cycle by putting CO2 from the atmosphere disrupted Carbon cycle by putting CO2 from the atmosphere into oceans and the groundinto oceans and the ground

These methods help to rebalance the Carbon Cycle and also These methods help to rebalance the Carbon Cycle and also reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, resulting in reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, resulting in cooler temperatures around the world. cooler temperatures around the world.

To Sum Up…

Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe and is required for life.

The carbon cycle is the circulation of carbon throughout the different environments on Earth, however too much carbon in the atmosphere can cause the planet’s temperatures to rise.

Humans negatively impact the carbon cycle by extracting fossil fuels from the ground and un-balancing the Cycle.

Plants use CO2 to get energy, and expel oxygen, while animals use oxygen to get energy and expel CO2.

Techniques such as Carbon Sequestration and Deep Sea Carbon Storage are used to put extra Carbon from the atmosphere into places where they will not affect the Earths Climate.

We hope you enjoyed the We hope you enjoyed the show!show!

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