The Carbon Cycle

From surface ocean it goes to

marine life

How much has the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased over the last 150 years?(about the start of the Industrial Revolution)

30% increase

The deep ocean amounts for more than _____ of the Earth's carbon.

65%

How much carbon does the surface ocean absorb from the atmosphere each year?

90 Gigatons

The carbon cycle starts in the

Atmosphere

Ocean live _______ survive without carbon

Cannot

Atmosphere

Carbon atom is stuck to two atoms of oxygen in a greenhouse gas called carbon dioxide. Only a small amount (0.04%) of the atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide. Because of burning fossil fuels, the amount has increased 30% in the past 150 years. More carbon dioxide in our atmosphere makes our planet warmer

In the atmosphere, carbon atoms are often part of a greenhouse gas called

Carbon dioxide (is made of one carbon atom attached to two oxygen atoms.)

Land Plants

Carbon has been taken out of the atmosphere by a plant as it used the Sun's energy to make the nutrition it needs (a process called photosynthesis )carbon is now one of the building blocks that make up a plant. As more carbon dioxide is added to our atmosphere, plants will be able to grow faster. Plants also release carbon back to the atmosphere by respiration.

After marine life carbon goes to

Deep ocean

Surface Ocean

Either carbon got here by diffusing from the atmosphere, by decomposing marine life, or from circulating water from the deep ocean. The ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than the land does. The surface ocean takes in approximately 90 Gigatons of carbon per year. Cold water absorbs carbon faster than warm water.

True or false: carbon can't get from the deep ocean to soils on the land. There is a different type of carbon on land.

False (its the same type of carbon)

From land plants carbon goes to ____

Soil

Deep ocean

The deep ocean gets carbon from circulation with the surface ocean and dead and decaying marine life. When carbon gets to the deep ocean, it usually stays there for hundreds of years before moving on. The deep ocean holds more than 65% of the Earth's carbon

Soil

The plant carbon was in has died. The good news is that, carbon is now a part of the soil called detritus, which is decomposing plants and animals. Soil is also made of inorganic parts such as sand, silt, and clay. Soils store about 3% of Earth's carbon. As bacteria and fungi break down the detritus, carbon is sent into the atmosphere.

Once in the atmosphere, carbon can either go to

The surface ocean or land plants

Marine life

Tiny marine organisms called phytoplankton take in carbon to make the nutrition they need through a process called photosynthesis. The phytoplankton are eaten by larger marine life. Marine life cannot survive without carbon, but high levels of carbon dissolved in ocean waters are harmful to marine organisms such as algae, mollusks and corals.

True or False: plants both absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release it into the atmosphere.

True ( plants take carbon dioxide in during photosynthesis and release some during respiration)

True or false: Soils emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

True (soils take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, but they also release it to the atmosphere! In fact, soils release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than humans do. )