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The Carbon Cycle and its Importance to Life on Earth

Explore the carbon cycle and its vital role in sustaining life on Earth. Learn about the different forms of carbon, carbon reservoirs, and the processes involved in carbon cycling. Discover the human impact on the carbon cycle and the consequences of burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Understand the greenhouse effect and the effects of greenhouse gases on ecosystem balance.

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The Carbon Cycle and its Importance to Life on Earth

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  1. What do all of these things have in common?

  2. Were these carbon-containing materials always in the same form?

  3. Nope! • to 

  4. Cycling of Matter is important! The earth needs to cycle certain things needed for life! • Water • Nutrients like • CARBON (today) • Nitrogen (for another class)

  5. What about….. • to:

  6. Hmmm….what about……

  7. This looks like a cycle….

  8. They all contain CARBON! • Carbon is essential to life on earth!

  9. Carbon is a key element in the functioning of life on earth!

  10. What do you know about the Carbon Cycle? • Video 2 • Video 3 (with music) • Video 4 (good explanation but less visual)

  11. Carbon in ecosystems is found in two main forms: Organic and Inorganic • Organic Carbon: a key component of the biotic parts of an ecosystem. It is found in the tissues of plants and animals.

  12. Inorganic Carbon: found in abiotic parts of an ecosystem such as the atmosphere, soil, rocks, and water (the ocean!)

  13. The places where carbon is stored are known as carbon reservoirs.

  14. The ocean stores large amounts of carbon that dissolves from the atmosphere • The atmosphere holds carbon in the form of carbon dioxide

  15. Since no new carbon enters the earth, ecosystems must recycle carbon into new life forms. Without the carbon cycle, ecosystems would run out of usable carbon. Carbon Cycle: The way in which carbon changes form and is recycled within an ecosystem. It is essential to life on earth.

  16. The Carbon Cycle • (Not in notes) The Carbon cycle involves carbon moving from one reservoir to another.

  17. The carbon cycle can appear complicated at first glance. It helps to break it down into two types of processes: • Processes that remove carbon from the atmosphere. • Processes that add carbon to the atmosphere.

  18. In General: Atmosphere Ecosystem

  19. The Carbon Cycle

  20. Add CO2 to the atmosphere Removes CO2 from the atmosphere

  21. Add CO2 to the atmosphere • burning fossil fuels • Fires • Volcanoes • Living things decomposing • Animals breathing • Plants breathing • Ocean organisms breathing Removes CO2 from the atmosphere • Photosynthesis • Oceans absorb it • Fossil Fuel formation

  22. Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration are complimentary processes that occur within the carbon cycle: a) Plants take in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis b) Animals return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere during cellular respiration

  23. Cellular Respiration

  24. The carbon cycle on earth and even within particular ecosystems reaches a balanced state over a long period of time.

  25. Carbon reservoirs tend to hold carbon for different lengths of time.

  26. Carbon in organisms usually cycles very rapidly within an ecosystem (consider the lifespan of a typical organism!) (Remember the decomposing rabbit)

  27. Sometimes an organism dies in a peat bog where decomposition does not release the carbon back into the ecosystem. (the same conditions exist at the bottom of the ocean) • In this case, the carbon turns into a fossil fuel over millions of years.

  28. It would normally stay this way for millions of more years before returning to the atmosphere in volcanic eruptions that burn carbon-containing rocks. (Video)

  29. There are normal changes in the relative amounts of carbon entering and leaving the atmosphere, but these typically occur over long periods of time. (many thousands of years)

  30. Human Impact on the Carbon Cycle • What are people doing to the Carbon Cycle????

  31. Human Impact on Carbon Cycle Humans are changing the balance of the carbon cycle in two major ways • Burning Fossil Fuels • Adds CO2 to the air that should be under ground! • Video • Deforestation • Less photosynthesis to remove CO2 • The burning of trees adds CO2 • Video • Video 2

  32. Human Impacts Examples • Fuel Burning Activities • Electricity generation • Driving vehicles • Wars • Heating homes • Natural gas burn off • Causes of Deforestation • Forestry • Construction materials • City development • Land clearing for farming

  33. Greenhouse Gases and ocean Acidification

  34. Greenhouse gases • Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is known as a greenhouse gas. It serves a very important purpose of helping to keep the earth warm enough to sustain life.

  35. Greenhouse gas: a gas that allows light to pass through but traps heat close to the earth’s surface.

  36. Greenhouse Effect

  37. In areas where temperatures increase, ecosystems will be effected as organisms living there are adapted to survive in a particular temperature range.

  38. Ocean Acidification

  39. Work Page 65 Questions

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