What Is Carbon? An element that bonds with other elements to form compounds. Organic compounds (formed only by living things): Carbohydrates, fats, proteins Inorganic compounds (not formed by living things): Carbon dioxide, chalk

Carbon cannot be created or destroyed on the earth. The same carbon atoms are used repeatedly on earth by changing form.

Where Is Carbon? Carbon atoms continually move through living organisms, the oceans, the atmosphere, and the crust of the planet.

The Carbon Cycle This movement is known as the carbon cycle.

From the atmosphere to plants Plants pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and use it to make glucose–this process is known as ____?____ The carbon becomes part of the plant (stored food).

Animals Eat Plants When organisms eat plants, they take in the carbon and some of it becomes part of their own bodies. The carbon that is in the plant moves to the animals that eat them.

Animals eat other animals Animals that eat other animals get the carbon from the meat of the animals they eat.

Plants and Animal Die When plants and animals die, their bodies are broken down by organisms call decomposers.  Decomposers return the carbon to the soil.

Plants and Animal Die Some plants and animals are not decomposed fully and become buried. After millions of years, the carbon ends up in fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas)

Animals exhale Each time you exhale, you are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This carbon comes from the breakdown of glucose through the process of ____?____

Carbon dissolves in water The ocean and other bodies of water soak up some carbon from the atmosphere. Oceans contain earth’s largest store of carbon

Rock breaks down When rocks break down they can add carbon to surface water which eventually runs off to the ocean