1. The Carbon and Oxygen Cycle
3.2 Part A
SLO: To explain and summarize the biogeochemical cycling of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and phosporus

2. The Carbon Cycle

3. The Carbon Cycle Carbon can be found in all living organism
the atmosphere (carbon dioxide gas)
the ocean (carbon dioxide dissolved in water)
rocks (carbonates)
fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas )

4. Inorganic Carbon is found in the:
Atmosphere
smallest storage of inorganic carbon.
only 0.3% of the gases
we breath in contains carbon dioxide
Ocean
– carbon dioxide is dissolved
in the water
carbon is also found as carbonate (CaCO3) in shells and
hard structures – sedimentary rock

5. Inorganic Carbon is found in the
c) Rock
- on the ocean floor (limestone)
- on the earth’s surface as sedimentary rock

6. Organic Carbon is found in:
Living Organisms
in DNA, carbohydrate, proteins, and fat
this carbon is released back into the cycle through decomposition – carbon dioxide released

7. Bogs and the formation of Coal
Bogs (very little decomposition due to low oxygen)
the carbon in bogs (as living organic matter) gets trapped under sediments
pressure and heat turns these sediments into coal

8. Formation of Oil Ocean floor
– conditions similar to bogs, organic aquatic organisms are not decomposed and are covered, compressed and heated to form oil and gas.

9. Summary of Carbon Cycle (Short)
Carbon is cycled through organisms through photosynthesis and cellular respiration
Carbon is released from the decomposition of plants and animals
These take a short amount of time
This occurs in aquatic
environments as well

10. Summary of Carbon Cycle (Long)
Carbon is “trapped” for millions of years as coal, oil or natural gas and is only released back to the cycle when it is burned (combustion)
Carbon is “trapped” for millions of years as part of sedimentary rock and is only released by geological events and erosion
This takes a long time

11. The Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen is found in the atmosphere (O2, O3, CO2), and in living organisms (glucose, proteins, DNA, or important molecules)

12. The Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen moves from the earth into living organism through photosynthesis
Oxygen moves from living organism to the Earth through cellular respiration
Photosynthesis
6 CO2 + 6 H2O  C6H O2
Cellular Respiration
C6H O2  6 CO2 + 6 H2O

13. The Oxygen Cycle
Oxygen is also important in combustion and decomposition