1. Climate Change
Carbon Cycle

2. Climate Change: Understanding Carbon
What is Carbon?
- Carbon is an element
- Carbon is found in anything that is alive or once alive
- Living things use carbon for ENERGY!

3. FROM ATMOSPHERE TO PLANTS
- Carbon exists as part of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) when in the atmosphere
- Carbon is “breathed” in by plants as part of photosynthesis
- Once inside a plant carbon is ripped from CO2 and used to make carbohydrates (sugars)
CARBON STORES ENERGY!

4. FROM PLANTS TO ANIMALS
There are only two ways for animals to get carbon…
Option 1
Eating plants
Option 2
Eating animals that eat plants
* Either way (option) Carbon is traced back to plants

5. FROM ANIMALS TO THE ATMOSPHERE
Respiration: basically breathing, oxygen in, CO2 out
Sugar + Oxygen = Energy + CO2 + H20
Plants can perform respiration too!
(but it’s not common)

6. FROM ANIMALS (or plants) TO GROUND
Fossil fuels form from
_decaying plant and animal (organic) material___
- In order for fossil fuels to form you need the right amount of:
◦ Temperature ◦ Pressure ◦ Time (millions of years)

7. FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO THE ATMOSPHERE
It takes years for fossil fuels to form but only hours to be used up. When fossil fuels are burned they release CO2 into the atmosphere.

8. WHAT IS THE CARBON CYCLE LIKE IN THE OCEAN?
Basically it is the same as on land. A lot of CO2 is absorbed into the ocean from the atmosphere. Ocean producers use it for photosynthesis.

9. Greenhouse Effect THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Greenhouse gases are gasses in the atmosphere that trap radiation (heat) without them Earth would freeze
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

10. Global Warming Fact Theory Consequence
The extra CO2 in the atmosphere causes higher temperatures by trapping more heat
There is 30% more CO2 in the air now than there was 30 years ago
Rising temperature
Animals and plants dying when they are unable to adapt
Sea levels rising
Severe weather conditions
Deforestation decreases the Earth’s ability to remove CO2 from the atmosphere
Fewer forests means faster rates of global warming

11. Journey of Carbon
Complete the carbon cycle in your notes.