Carbon Cycle

How does Carbon enter ecosystems?

Through photosynthesis, they use carbon from CO2 to make carbohydrates, lipids and proteins

How does carbon get passed on from plants?

Animals then eat these plants which passes on the carbon compounds

How does carbon get released back into the atmosphere?

In the form of CO2 from respiration and decomposition of dead animals, or from combustion and burning of natural resources

Benefits of decompositions

Habitats can be maintained for the organisms still living, e.g when the nutrients of the dead are returned to the soil and waste materials don’t just pile up

Molecules in living things that are based on carbon

• Proteins

• Lipids

• Nucleic acids

• Carbohydrates

Respiration

Carbon in glucose is oxidised into Carbon in the air as CO2

Photosynthesis

Carbon in CO2 is fixed into sugars and other chemicals in plants

Combustion

When fuels are burned, CO2 is released into the air

Decomposition

When organisms or parts of organisms or waster decay/decompose, CO2 is released into the air

Fossilization

When animals die, they decompose and the remains are stored in layers that eventually turn into rocks or minerals