Biogeochemical Cycles Life Earth Chemical
In other words: How chemicals move from living to non living and back again to living.
Nutrients vs Energy heat
Where is most of the water stored? How does it get into plants? How does it get into animals?
The Carbon Cycle http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/basics/today/carbon-dioxide.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D7hZpIYlCA
The Carbon Cycle Notes (Bold) All living things are made of carbon. also a part of the ocean, air, and even rocks. Because the Earth is a dynamic place, carbon does not stay still. It is on the move! In the atmosphere, carbon is attached to some oxygen in a gas called carbon dioxide - CO2
Plants Plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to make their own food and grow – Photosynthesis. Plants that die and are buried may turn into fossil fuels (coal, oil) over millions of years. Humans burn fossil fuels, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as CO2
Greenhouse Gas CO2 is a greenhouse gas and traps heat in the atmosphere. But humans have burned so much fuel that there is about 30% more carbon dioxide in the air today than there was about 150 years ago, and Earth is becoming a warmer place. In fact, ice cores show us that there is now more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than there has been in the last 420,000 years.
Carbon Cycle Game 2. Was everyone’s journey the same? Why /why not? 1. In the real world, does the cycling of carbon stop? 2. Was everyone’s journey the same? Why /why not? 3. What might cause an increase or decrease of carbon dioxide in a given location such as in the atmosphere or buried underground. 4.Carbon dioxide is often referred to as a greenhouse gas. What does that term mean? 5. Where do you think most of the carbon is located on our planet?
Most of the carbon is located on our planet… http://www.planetseed.com/poll/where-most-carbon-found- onaround-earth
Carbon Chemistry Respiration CO2 + H2O + light C6H12O6 + O2 Balance this equation! CO2 + H2O + light C6H12O6 + O2 Photosynthesis Now balance this equation! C6H12O6 + O2 CO2 + H2O + energy Respiration
The Greenhouse Effect If it were not for greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere, the Earth would be a very cold place. Greenhouse gases keep the Earth warm through a process called the greenhouse effect. http://www.epa.gov/climatestudents/basics/today/greenhouse-effect.html
But….what happens when we mess with the carbon cycle by putting too much carbon into the atmosphere? Rising temperatures Possible flood, drought, extreme summer temperatures More violent storms and extreme weather events Global meltdown of polar ice
Top 10 things you can do to help: Recycle Change the way you think about transportation Reduce energy use Make every drop count Insulate your home High efficiency appliances Repurpose Switch to "green power" Cool wash and hang to dry Plants, our new best friend
The Nitrogen Cycle ____of atmosphere (N2), stable and not usable 79% N atoms are required for DNA and proteins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP24BceOwt8
Eutrophication Excessive nutrients in a lake or other body of water, which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen
And the winner is….. http://www.livinglakes.ca/news/lake-winnipeg-named-2013-worlds-most-threatened-lake/
How can we help Lake Winnipeg? Leave uncut vegetation at the water's edge and plant native plants and shrubs. Keep shorelines in their natural state. Do not use fertilizers next to water. Use phosphate-free soaps and detergents. Do not use soap or shampoo in the lake. http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episodes/save-my-lake
The Oxygen Cycle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m UVX5rg1E0I The common name air is given to the atmospheric gases used in breathing and photosynthesis. By volume, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen, approx 20% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.039% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases.
Assignment Explain how deforestation, fire and combustion of fossil fuels disrupt the balance between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Describe how excess fertilizer or herbicide runoff affects the bodies of water. Predict how a change in the cycling of carbon may affect the cycling of oxygen. Discuss how human and animal waste management may affect bodies of water. Predict how the carbon cycle would be disrupted by a reduction in the intensity of sunlight due to smoke and ash from a massive volcanic eruption.
Ecological Footprint Activity Ecological Footprint - The corresponding area of productive land and aquatic ecosystems required to produce the resources used, and to assimilate the wastes produced, by a defined population at a specified material standard of living, wherever on Earth that land may be located. Fair Earthshare - the amount of ecologically productive land "available" per capita on Earth