The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

By: Matt WaldmanBy: Matt Waldman

CarbonCarbon

44thth most abundant most abundant elementelement

““Building Block” of life.Building Block” of life. Is the anchor of all organic Is the anchor of all organic

substancessubstances

Found in all living things, Found in all living things, atmosphere, and atmosphere, and sediment on the ocean sediment on the ocean floor.floor.

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

http://www.eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/images/carboncycle_sm.jpg

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/carbon-cycle.gif

categoriescategories Geological- large time scale carbon cycle. Geological- large time scale carbon cycle.

(millions of years)(millions of years) Biological/physical- shorter time scale Biological/physical- shorter time scale

carbon cycle. (days to thousands of years)carbon cycle. (days to thousands of years)

Geological Carbon CycleGeological Carbon Cycle

Through a process called weathering, carbonic Through a process called weathering, carbonic acid has slowly combined with magnesium and acid has slowly combined with magnesium and calcium to create insoluble carbonates. calcium to create insoluble carbonates.

The cycle continues by drawing the carbonates The cycle continues by drawing the carbonates into the mantle by subduction.into the mantle by subduction.

The carbon is returned to the atmosphere The carbon is returned to the atmosphere through volcanic eruptionthrough volcanic eruption

PhotosynthesisPhotosynthesis

Plants absorb carbon out Plants absorb carbon out of the atmosphere. Create of the atmosphere. Create Carbohydrates.Carbohydrates.

Animals burn these “carbs” Animals burn these “carbs” through respiration.through respiration.

Respiration turns them Respiration turns them back into CO2 which is back into CO2 which is released back into the released back into the atmosphere.atmosphere.

This cycle is 1,000 time This cycle is 1,000 time more effective than the more effective than the Geological. Geological.

http://grapevine.net.au/~grunwald/une/KLAs/science/irrigation-photosynthesis.gif

Cycle AmountsCycle Amounts

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/carbon_cycle4.php

Carbon AmountsCarbon Amounts

Carbon= .04% of atmosphereCarbon= .04% of atmosphere 1,900 gigatons of Carbon in Biosphere.1,900 gigatons of Carbon in Biosphere. 36,000 gigatons of Carbon in the ocean.36,000 gigatons of Carbon in the ocean. 60,000,000 gigatons of Carbon in 60,000,000 gigatons of Carbon in

sedimentary rocksedimentary rock 4,000 gigatons of Carbon in fossil fuel 4,000 gigatons of Carbon in fossil fuel

depositsdeposits

FireFire

Eats away at biomass Eats away at biomass and vegetation to and vegetation to produce CO2 into the produce CO2 into the atmosphere.atmosphere.

The biomass that the The biomass that the fire burned is killed and fire burned is killed and eventually decomposes eventually decomposes creating more CO2 .creating more CO2 .

http://www.nmsu.edu/~safety/images/fire_meaney.gif

Human RoleHuman Role Fossil Fuel Burning and Fossil Fuel Burning and

Deforestation.Deforestation. When we burn fossil When we burn fossil

fuels, we move carbon fuels, we move carbon more rapidly than the more rapidly than the natural cycle allows for. natural cycle allows for. Carbon concentrations Carbon concentrations increase.increase.

Deforestation is taking Deforestation is taking the carbon from living the carbon from living plants and trees and plants and trees and sending it back into the sending it back into the atmosphere atmosphere http://library.thinkquest.org/17531/fossiltitle.jpg

Human RoleHuman Role ““The result is that humans The result is that humans

are adding ever-increasing are adding ever-increasing amounts of extra carbon amounts of extra carbon dioxide into the dioxide into the atmosphere. Because of atmosphere. Because of this, atmospheric carbon this, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are dioxide concentrations are higher today than they higher today than they have been over the last have been over the last half-million years or half-million years or longer.” (NASA)longer.” (NASA)

Human RoleHuman Role

““In the 1990’s, deforestation and other In the 1990’s, deforestation and other changes in land usechanges in land use caused 1-2 petagrams (1- caused 1-2 petagrams (1-2 billion metric tons) of carbon to flow from the 2 billion metric tons) of carbon to flow from the biota to the atmosphere annually.” biota to the atmosphere annually.” (Encyclopedia of the Earth)(Encyclopedia of the Earth)

Equilibrium between carbon in the atmosphere Equilibrium between carbon in the atmosphere has been disrupted by fossil fuels burning. (2 has been disrupted by fossil fuels burning. (2 petagrams greater from atmosphere to ocean)petagrams greater from atmosphere to ocean)

Works CitedWorks Cited

““The Carbon Cycle” NASA. Earth Observatory. Nov. 16, The Carbon Cycle” NASA. Earth Observatory. Nov. 16, 2008 2008 http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/

Pidwirny, M. (2006). "The Carbon Cycle". Pidwirny, M. (2006). "The Carbon Cycle". Fundamentals of Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd EditionPhysical Geography, 2nd Edition. Date Viewed. . Date Viewed. http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9r.html http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9r.html

Pidwirny, Michael (Lead Author); Jay Gulledge (Topic Pidwirny, Michael (Lead Author); Jay Gulledge (Topic Editor). 2008. "Carbon cycle." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Editor). 2008. "Carbon cycle." In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). Dec. 12, 2006 <Environment). Dec. 12, 2006 <http://http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_cyclewww.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_cycle > >

Stern, Paul C. “Human Interaction with the Carbon Cycle.” Stern, Paul C. “Human Interaction with the Carbon Cycle.” National Research Council. Nov. 5, 2001. National Research Council. Nov. 5, 2001. http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/0309084202.pdfhttp://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/0309084202.pdf