The carbon cycle

Question 1

What is carbon?

Answer 1

Chemical element, stored in carbonate rocks such as limestone and sea floor sediments

Question 2

What are 6 carbon exchanges?

Answer 2

-precipitation
-photosynthesis
-weathering
-respiration
-decomposition
-combustion

Question 3

What is precipitation?

Answer 3

Atmospheric CO2 dissolves in rainwater to form weak carbonic acid

Question 4

What is respiration?

Answer 4

Process in which carbohydrates fixed in photosynthesis are converted into CO2 and water

Question 5

What is decomposition?

Answer 5

Bacteria and fungi breakdown dead organic matter, extracting energy and releasing CO2 to atmosphere

Question 6

What is combustion?

Answer 6

Occurs when organic matter reacts or burns in the presence of oxygen, release CO2

Question 7

What are the spheres?

Answer 7

Atmosphere- air
Biosphere- living
Hydrosphere-water
Cryosphere-ice
Lithosphere-rock
Pedosphere-soil

Question 8

What is the importance of carbon?

Answer 8

• economic uses
• basic building blocs of life