Cycling of Matter

Junior Cert Science - Earth and Space

Water Cycle

The processes that causes the water to change its state as it moves through the Earth. Water is cycled between biotic and abiotic components on Earth.

Evaporation

The liquid water on the Earth's surface gets heated by the Sun, which converts liquid water into water vapour, which rises into the atmosphere.

Condensation

The water vapour from evaporation cools down as it rises, and the gas changes back into water and tiny drops of water forms clouds.

Precipitation

As more drops of water add to the clouds, they fill up. When they are full, the liquid water falls onto the Earth in the form of rain or snow.

Infiltration

Some of the water that falls on land and seeps into the soil and through the cracks in the rocks. It then collects underground.

Run-off and collection

The rest of the water that falls on land runs off the surface and is collected in rivers, which takes it back to the ocean.

Transpiration

Plants take in water through their roots from the soil and lose water through their leaves. The water lost from the leaves evaporates and rises as vapour into the atmosphere.

Carbon Cycle

The processes by which carbon cycles through the biotic and abiotic components on the Earth.

Photosynthesis

Plants use the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for photosynthesis.

Nutrition

The animals consume the plants containing carbon and the carbon transfers, which is temporarily stored in their bodies.

Diffusion

Some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves and is stored in water, e.g., in oceans, rivers, and lakes. Some carbon dioxide may also be absorbed by the peat in the bogs.

Decomposition

Decomposers break down the bodies of dead plants and animals, which returns carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Respiration

Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as a waste product of respiration.

Formation of fossil fuels

When the remains of dead plants and animals are exposed to high temperatures over millions of years, they turn into fossil fuels, which contain carbon.

Combustion

A chemical reaction where a substance containing carbon, such as fossil fuels and biomass, are burned, which causes it to rapidly react with oxygen to produce heat, light and carbon dioxide, which is released into the atmosphere.

Decomposers

Consumers(organisms) that feed on dead plants and animals. e.g. Bacteria and Fungi

Carbon sink

Anything that takes carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. e.g. Plants

Carbon source

Anything that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. e.g. Factories.