The Carbon Cycle

Natural geologic activity

1. _______________________________, such as volcanic eruptions release carbon stored deep within the geosphere into the atmosphere.

Respiration

A specific process in which living organisms involve the production of energy, mostly with the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide.

ocean acidification.

Although oceans take out carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, carbon dioxide raises the acidity of the water, leading to _________________________.

calcium carbonate

Aquatic organisms use ___________________ to build shells

Carbon is naturally cycled between Earth's spheres because spheres are interconnected by processes of exchange such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration, combustion, decomposition, or geologic activity.

Biosphere (organic molecules) Hydrosphere (dissolved gas) Geosphere (rocks and fossil fuels) Atmosphere (carbon dioxide)

fossil fuel.

Carbon accumulates and collects in soil and the oceans where it cycles among organisms and is turned into ______________.

rainwater

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is dissolved in ________________and at the surface of the oceans.

limestone

Carbon is the main component of living things and many minerals, such as____________

CO2.

Cold ocean water absorbs the most CO2 Warm ocean water can release _____________.

Drawing carbon from the atmosphere and goes through photosynthesis

Describe carbon sequestration. Then, write an example of an organism that can sequester carbon.

sequestered

During mountain-building processes, large amounts of carbon is _________________ in the rock of newly formed mountains

global warming

Excessive amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere causes _______________________________ and climate change.

planet

Excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat and warms the ____________.

60

Human activities, like burning fossil fuels, emits __ or more times the amount of carbon dioxide released by volcanoes each year.

slow- rate carbon

Long-term cycling and carbon storage occur with ______________ exchange in the geosphere (millions of years)

reservoir

Once carbon is stored, it is known as a carbon____________.

limestone rock

Over time the shells and hard parts compact into __________________ which can sequester carbon for millions of years

True

Overtime, shells and other slow decaying organic materials cement together to create limestone. T/F

long-term or short-term.

Processes in the carbon cycle can be_______________.

sources

Processes which add extra carbon to the atmosphere are known as___________

carbon sinks

Processes which take CO2 from the atmosphere and store it are known as_________.

biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere

Short-term cycling occurs with rapid carbon exchange in the__________.

Decomposition

Something that rots and decays

True

The aquatic organisms die and settle to the bottom of the ocean. T/F

life

The carbon cycle is one huge reason why the Earth is capable of sustaining______

biogeochemical

The carbon cycle is the ____________cycle by which carbon is exchanged between Earth's spheres.

Photosynthesis

The processes in which green plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to synthesize food

sequestration

The step of removing the carbon from the atmosphere is known as carbon______________.

True

When fossil fuels are burned/combusted, carbon is released up into the atmosphere. The more carbon within the atmosphere, the more heat radiation will be trapped. This will increase global temperatures. T/F

carbon dioxide

When humans burn fossil fuels or burn down trees, excessive amounts of _________________ (CO2) is released into the atmosphere.

True

When volcanoes erupt, big amount of carbon is released into the atmosphere. When plants and animals decay, their nutrients and carbon is absorbed by the earth's soil. T/F

True

When water has too much carbon dioxide, it becomes too acidic disrupting the ability for aquatic organisms to build shells. T/F

CO2

_____________ is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in our atmosphere.

Volcanic eruption

_____________ release CO2 and dust particles into the air. Particles of dust from large eruptions can block sunlight, causing temporarily cooler temperatures

Combustion, or burning of organic matter, such as fossil fuels or forests, releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

______________, or burning of organic matter, such as fossil fuels or forests, releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Decomposition

________________: When living things die, they decompose and release nutrients into the ground or bottom of the ocean.

Cell Respiration

_____________________: Organisms breathe in oxygen gas and eat carbon-rich glucose for energy.

Photosynthesis

___________________________________: Using sunlight, plants and photosynthetic plankton convert carbon dioxide gas and water into carbon rich glucose (plany tissue) and oxygen gas