The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

What About Carbon?What About Carbon?• It can be a gasIt can be a gas

– Carbon Dioxide (COCarbon Dioxide (CO22))– Methane (CHMethane (CH44))

• It can be a liquidIt can be a liquid– Gasoline (CGasoline (C88HH1818))

• It can be a solidIt can be a solid– Rocks (CORocks (CO33))

• It is present in all It is present in all organicorganic material and material and materials made from once materials made from once livingliving things things

• It is also found in inorganic material such as It is also found in inorganic material such as rocksrocks

Carbon and the Four Carbon and the Four SpheresSpheres

• Carbon is present in all four spheresCarbon is present in all four spheres

• Atmosphere - Atmosphere - AirAir

• Biosphere - Biosphere - LifeLife

• Hydrosphere - Hydrosphere - WaterWater

• Lithosphere - Lithosphere - LandLand

AtmosphereAtmosphere• Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide entersenters

the atmosphere by:the atmosphere by:– Humans and animals Humans and animals

breathing out (breathing out (BioBio))– Fires (Fires (BioBio))– Volcanic eruptions Volcanic eruptions

((LithoLitho))– Exchanges with ocean Exchanges with ocean

water (water (HydroHydro))– Burning fossil fuels (Burning fossil fuels (BioBio))– Rocks reacting with Rocks reacting with

chemicals (chemicals (GeoGeo))

AtmosphereAtmosphere

• Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide leavesleaves the the atmosphere by:atmosphere by:– Photosynthesis by Photosynthesis by

plants (plants (BioBio))– Photosynthesis of Photosynthesis of

phytoplankton, or tiny phytoplankton, or tiny water plants (water plants (BioBio))

– Dissolved by sea Dissolved by sea water (water (HydroHydro))

BiosphereBiosphere

• Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide entersenters the biosphere by:the biosphere by:– Photosynthesis of Photosynthesis of

plants (plants (AtmAtm))– Photosynthesis of Photosynthesis of

phytoplankton, or tiny phytoplankton, or tiny water plants (water plants (AtmAtm))

– Animals eating plants Animals eating plants and phytoplankton and phytoplankton ((BioBio))

BiosphereBiosphere

• Carbon Dioxide AND Carbon Dioxide AND MethaneMethane leaves the leaves the biosphere by:biosphere by:– Decomposition of Decomposition of

plants and animals plants and animals ((AtmAtm))

– Respiration (breathing Respiration (breathing out) (out) (AtmAtm))

HydrosphereHydrosphere

• Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide enters the enters the hydrosphere by:hydrosphere by:– Dissolved by sea Dissolved by sea

waves (waves (AtmAtm))– Decomposition of Decomposition of

plants and animals plants and animals ((BioBio))

HydrosphereHydrosphere

• Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide leaves the leaves the hydrospherehydrosphere by: by:– Carbon compounds Carbon compounds

are exchanged are exchanged ((AtmAtm) () (geogeo))

LithosphereLithosphere

• Carbon Dioxide Carbon Dioxide enters the enters the lithospherelithosphere by: by:– Formation of Formation of fossil fossil

fuelsfuels (Bio) (Bio)– Formation of Rocks Formation of Rocks

like limestone like limestone ((HydroHydro))

LithosphereLithosphere

• Carbon DioxideCarbon Dioxide leaves the leaves the lithosphere by:lithosphere by:– BurningBurning of fossil of fossil

fuels (fuels (AtmAtm))– Volcanic Eruption Volcanic Eruption

((AtmAtm))

Brainstorm:Brainstorm:

• List some places that carbon is List some places that carbon is stored.stored.

• What processes cause carbon to What processes cause carbon to move from on reservoir to the other.move from on reservoir to the other.

• Use this information to fill out the Use this information to fill out the concept map on the next slideconcept map on the next slide

The Carbon Cycle Among SpheresThe Carbon Cycle Among SpheresList examples under each sphere, and make an arrow for processes.List examples under each sphere, and make an arrow for processes.

GeosphereGeosphere

HydrosphereHydrosphere

BiosphereBiosphere

AtmosphereAtmosphere

Answer KeyAnswer Key

GeosphereGeosphere

HydrosphereHydrosphere

BiosphereBiosphere

AtmosphereAtmosphere• Humans and animals Humans and animals breathingbreathing• FireFire

• Burning of fossil Burning of fossil fuelsfuels• Decomposition Decomposition

ofofplants and plants and animalsanimals

* Humans drink soda* Humans drink soda

* Soot deposition * Soot deposition ontoonto rock from rock from

dirtydirty

• VolcanicVolcanic

eruptionseruptions• Burning ofBurning of fossil fuels fossil fuels

• Dissolved Dissolved

eruptionseruptions power plantspower plants

• PhotosynthesiPhotosynthesiss

of plantsof plants

• PhotosynthesiPhotosynthesiss

of phytoplanktonof phytoplanktonor tiny or tiny waterwater plantsplants

• Decomposition Decomposition ofof plants andplants and

animalsanimals

• ReleasedReleased from oceanfrom ocean waterwater

• CarbonCarbon compoundscompounds are brokenare broken downdown

* Formation of shells/coral* Formation of shells/coral

• Formation of fossil fuelsFormation of fossil fuels

* Deposition of* Deposition of sedimentsediment

* Minerals * Minerals dissolvingdissolving into water into water supplysupply