Carbon and water cycle

describe the carbon cycle

1. green plants and algae take in carbon dioxide from the air, to carry out photosynthesis and make glucose

2. the plants then use this glucose made from photoS for aerobic respiration to release energy for different processes, this produces CO₂ as a waste product releasing carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere

3. animals eat the plant that contains glucose, and the animals carry out aerobic respiration and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

4. when these animals and plants die the dead organic matter is decayed by decomposers that live in the warm, moist, aerobic conditions of the soil who break them down into simpler organic or inorganic pieces releasing all the stored carbon dioxide in these dead plants and animals. The decomposers need energy for this so they carry out aerobic respiration to release energy however this also releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere

5. If animals and plants die in conditions where decomposing microorganisms are not present, the carbon in their bodies can be converted, over millions of years and significant pressure, into fossil fuels

6. these are then burned by humans to produce carbon dioxide again (combustion)

what is percolation

the movement of water through soil

what is surface run off

the precipitation that falls on land the streams downhill to streams and channels

describe the water cycle

1. energy from the sun comes down and causes water to evaporate (from puddles, lakes, leaves of plants etc)

2. the water vapour rises and accumulates in the sky as the water evaporates into water vapour and condenses to form clouds

3. these clouds can be blown from one region to another until water falls back down to earth as liquid water in the form of rain (precipitation)