Contact us +31 152 610 900
- Home
- Library
- Fossil fuels
- Carbon cycle
Part V of "Matter cycles": The carbon cycle
Carbon is a very important element, as it makes up organic matter, which is a part of all life. Carbon follows a certain route on earth, called the carbon cycle. Through following the carbon cycle we can also study energy flows on earth, because most of the chemical energy needed for life is stored in organic compounds as bonds between carbon atoms and other atoms. The carbon cycle is based on carbon dioxide (CO2), which can be found in air in the gaseous form, and in water in dissolved form. Terrestrial plants use atmospheric carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, to generate oxygen that sustains animal life. Aquatic plants also generate oxygen, but they use carbon dioxide from water. The overall reaction of photosynthesis is: The oxygen that is produced during photosynthesis will sustain non-producing life forms, such as animals, and most micro organisms. Animals are called consumers, because they use the oxygen that is produced by plants. Carbon dioxide is released back into the atmosphere during respiration of consumers, which breaks down glucose and other complex organic compounds and converts the carbon back to carbon dioxide for reuse by producers. Carbon that is used by producers, consumers and decomposers cycles fairly rapidly through air, water and biota. But carbon can also be stored as biomass in the roots of trees and other organic matter for many decades. This carbon is released back into the atmosphere by decomposition, as was noted before. Although the combustion of fossil fuels mainly adds carbon dioxide to air, some of it is also released during natural processes, such as volcanic eruptions. In the aquatic ecosystem carbon dioxide can be stored in rocks and sediments. It will take a long time before this carbon dioxide will be released, through weathering of rocks or geologic processes that bring sediment to the surface of water. Schematic representations of the aquatic and terrestrial part of the carbon cycle are shown here: 1) The aquatic carbon cycle 2) The terrestrial carbon cycle Carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas)As many people know carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, which basically means that too much carbon dioxide in air causes the earth to warm up. For more information on CO2, move to the carbon dioxide page For more information on carbon, move to the periodic chart Back to main page of matter cycles To the matter cycles pollution page |
More from 'Fossil fuels'
Lenntech (European Head Office)
Distributieweg 3
2645 EG Delfgauw
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 152 610 900
fax: +31 152 616 289
e-mail: info@lenntech.com
Lenntech USA LLC (Americas)
5975 Sunset Drive
South Miami, FL 33143
USA
Phone: +1 877 453 8095
e-mail: info@lenntech.com
Lenntech DMCC (Middle East)
Level 6 - OFFICE #101-One JLT Tower
Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai - U.A.E.
Phone: +971 4 429 5853
e-mail: info@lenntech.com
Copyright © 1998-2023 Lenntech B.V. All rights reserved