Carbon cycle

Carbon cycle

    • Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air and dissolved in water is the primary source of the element carbon.
    • Through the process of photosynthesis, the carbon is removed from the CO2 and incorporated with other chemical elements in complex organic molecules.
    • The CO2 eventually finds its way back into the atmosphere when the organics are broken down during respiration.
    • The combustion of fossil fuels (oil and gasoline) for energy is a human activity that increases the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.
    • CO2plays a role in absorbing radiated heat and in regulating global atmospheric temperatures.
    • A rise in CO2 levels in the atmosphere will tend to cause the average temperature to increase.
       
    Carbon cycle

Last modified: Thursday, 29 March 2012, 8:59 PM