YEAR 10 SCIENCE EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

THE CARBON CYCLE GAME

In the carbon cycle game, you are a single atom of carbon; moving and
transforming as you travel through the carbon cycle. As you work through the
game, answer the following questions:


1. The game starts off in the atmosphere, where you are part of a molecule
called carbon dioxide (youre bonding with two oxygen atoms). The game
states that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere makes our planet warmer.
Explain why this occurs:

Because if the burning fossil fuels , the amount increases 30% in the
past 150 years. More carbon dioxide in our atmosphere makes our planet
warmer.

2. How much of the atmosphere is comprised of carbon dioxide? 0.04%

3. Plants are able to absorb carbon dioxide in a process that allows the
plant to gain

energy. This process is called photosynthesis. Complete a word equation
to demonstrate the chemical reaction in this process.

carbon dioxide + water + light energy glucose + oxygen + water


What happens to the carbon as a result of this process?

The carbon is transferred into the glucose and which helps the plant to
grow.

4. When plants and animals die, the carbon stored in them becomes part of
the

soil. How much of the worlds carbon is stored in soil? 3 %





5. Carbon can be transported from the atmosphere to the ocean by a process
called diffusion. Explain this process.



It was one of the way that Co2 is taken out of the ocean and that because it
becomes apart of shells.

6. Where is more carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere; the land or
ocean? How much carbon is absorbed here each year?

The ocean absorbs more carbon dixoide from atmosphere then the lad
does. The ocean takes in 90 gigatons of carbon per year.


7. Where is most of the Earths carbon stored? How much of the Earths carbon is
stored here?

The earths carbon is stored in the deep ocean , it stays there of
thousands years.


8. Using what youve learnt, describe one possible path of a carbon atom through
the carbon cycle, starting and ending in the atmosphere. Dont just explain
where the carbon goes, explain how it gets there and what happens while it is
in a particular place.

It's all starts in the atmosphere, a carbon atom will begin stuck to two oxygen
atoms in green house gases
--> land plants
The atom is either taken to the plants or the ocean this atom has been taken
from the atmosphere
--> soil
If the atoms goes into the soil the plant will does . Now the atom is apart of
something called the detritus, which is decomposing plants and animals.