1. Opening Activity: Feb. 3, 2016
Summarizing our rules about atoms and energy:
Atoms last forever.
Carbon cycles.
Energy Flows.
2. Apply the three rules to the
Greenhouse effect. In what ways
do you see…Atoms lasting forever? Energy flowing?
CO2
I can…
Explain how carbon cycles and energy flows in the environment.
Homework:
Review due 2/5
Biology Final 2/8
Science Expo Proposals due 2/12

2. The following slides were used in class to review carbon pools were and what processes take place to move carbon from one pool to another.

3. The Location Question: Where is carbon located?

4. 4 global carbon pools Biomass organic carbon Atmosphere Inorganic CO2
Soil
organic carbon
Fossil Fuels
organic carbon

5. Atmosphere
Inorganic CO2
Biomass
organic carbon
Soil
organic carbon
Fossil Fuels
organic carbon

6. The 3 Questions:
The Carbon Pools Question The Carbon Fluxes Question The Energy Question

7. Atoms Last Forever! Carbon Cycles! Energy Flows!
During this unit, remember the three rules (We wrote these rules in our packet, using the space between 4.1 and 4.2)
Atoms Last Forever!
Carbon Cycles!
Energy Flows!

8. During photosynthesis which way does carbon move?
Question:
During photosynthesis which way does carbon move?
Which pool(s) increase and decrease when photosynthesis happens?
Atmosphere
CO2
Soil
organic carbon
Biomass
Fossil Fuels

9. Which pool(s) increase and decrease when cellular respiration happens?
Question:
During cellular respiration (in plants, animals and decomposers) which way does carbon move?
Which pool(s) increase and decrease when cellular respiration happens?
Atmosphere
CO2
Soil
organic carbon
Biomass
Fossil Fuels

10. Carbon pools change size over time
Atmosphere
CO2
Soil
organic carbon
Biomass
Fossil Fuels
Different amounts of carbon move between the atmosphere and the biomass or soil pools in the summer versus in the winter.
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
The amount of carbon that moves per unit of time is called a “flux”.
Cellular Respiration

11. Atoms lasting forever? Energy flowing?
Apply the three rules to the Greenhouse effect. In what ways do you see…
Atoms lasting forever? Energy flowing?
CO2

12. The Carbon Fluxes Question
How are carbon atoms moving? How are the pools getting larger or smaller? What makes carbon move from one pool to another?

13. Energy enters the biomass pool from the sun
How does energy enter the biomass pool?
(Remember our third rule: Energy flows! Energy can never be created or destroyed. It has to come from somewhere).
Through the process of photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight energy and sequester it in C-C and C-H bonds of glucose molecules. This energy may be stored in the plant’s body (and might even be eaten by an animal). This is how energy enters the biomass pool.

14. Energy flows out of the biomass pool
How does chemical energy leave the biomass pool?
Plants, animals and decomposers do cellular respiration for all of their life processes. During cellular respiration, organic molecules like sugar are broken. High energy bonds in sugar (C-C and C-H) are replaced by low energy bonds (C-O and H-O) and the chemical energy is released. This energy can be transformed into:
work or motion energy and eventually to
heat radiated into space

15. Where does the energy go?
When the energy leaves the biomass pool and enters the atmosphere pool, what happens to it? (Remember, energy can never be created or destroyed. It has to go somewhere).
Heat energy is lost from the biomass pool (and eventually radiates into outer space). Some of this heat energy is trapped in greenhouse gases and remains in the atmosphere. Most of this heat radiates back into outer space.
As greenhouse gases increase, more of this heat is trapped in the atmosphere, causing the global temperatures to rise.

16. CARBON FLUX ACTIVITY: (see handout on class website – due when you return to class)
Round 1: For each scenario, decide as a group what will happen to the organic and inorganic pools of carbon.
It is summer in the northern hemisphere and annual flowers begin to grow.
Winter comes and the annual plants die and are digested by decomposers.
Round 2: Explain how energy is transformed in the scenarios above.

17. CARBON FLUX ACTIVITY In your scenario: 1. Which way does carbon move?
Atmosphere
CO2
Soil
organic carbon
Biomass
Fossil Fuels
In your scenario:
1. Which way does carbon move?
2. Which pool(s) increase and decrease when cellular respiration or photosynthesis happens?
Which way does energy flow?
When does energy transfer from pool to pool?