1. The Carbon Cycle

2. What is carbon? An element
Carbon exists in the nonliving environment (POOLS) as:
- carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and dissolved in water
- the lithosphere: carbonate rocks
- deposits of coal, petroleum, and natural gas derived from once-living things
- dead organic matter, e.g., feces in the soil
Carbon exists EVERYWHERE!

3. Carbon is exchanged between the active pools due to various processes
Carbon is exchanged between the active pools due to various processes. For example: Photosynthesis and respiration between the land and the atmosphere, and diffusion between the ocean and the atmosphere.

4. Quick Review of Photosynthesis
How plants turn light energy into chemical energy.
How plants make their own food

5. EQUATION FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS
WATER
OXYGEN
6CO2 +
6H2O +
ENERGY
C6H12O6 +
6O2
CARBON DIOXIDE
GLUCOSE

6. Quick Review of Respiration Respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis
Who? Plants AND Animals What? Sugar is broken down into carbon dioxide and water

7. EQUATION FOR RESPIRATION
CARBON DIOXIDE
ATP
GLUCOSE
C6H12O6 +
6O2
6CO2 +
6H2O +
ENERGY
OXYGEN
WATER

9. 6 Ways Carbon is moved
In a cycle

10. 1.Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants
In the atmosphere, carbon is attached to oxygen in a gas called CO2. With the help of the sun, CO2 is pulled from the air to make plant food from carbon through a process called photosynthesis

11. 2. Carbon moves from plants to animals
Through food chains, the carbon that is in plants moves to the animals that eat them. Animals that eat other animals get the carbon from their food too.

12. 3. Carbon moves from living things to the atmosphere.
Through RESPIRATION! Every time you exhale, you release CO2 into the atmosphere. Animals and plants get rid of CO2 through respiration too!

13. 4. Carbon moves from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned.
When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants, cars and trucks, most the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as CO2.

14. 5. Carbon moves from the atmosphere to the ocean
The oceans and other bodies of water soak up some carbon from the atmosphere.

15. 6. Carbon moves from plants and animals to the ground
When plants and animals die, their bodies, wood and leaves decay bringing the carbon into the ground. Some become buried miles underground and will become fossil fuels in missions and millions of years.

16. 7. Burning trees release carbon into the atmosphere
Large forest fires can release lots of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

17. 8. Volcanic eruptions release carbon into the atmosphere
Volcanic eruptions are not an everyday occurrence that most people experience. But volcanoes erupt, they can release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

18. Carbon has been in balance for millions of years
But the last century CO2 levels have been increasing. Why? Burning fossil fuels

19. The Greenhouse Effect! Think of the inside of a car in summer…
Sun passes through the car’s windows, but it doesn’t pass back through very easily
THIS IS WHY ITS SO HOT!

20. Greenhouse gases act like glass in a greenhouse or a car

21. So…What can we do? Turn off lights Carpool with friends Recycle
Put on a sweatshirt (instead of pumping up your heat in the winter)
….just to name a few…