SMES - The Carbon Cycle (Lesson)

The Carbon Cycle

Carbon is essential to life as we know it. It is the basic building block of the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, DNA, and other organic compounds necessary to live.

Humans and other life forms require a balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to maintain a moderate surface temperature. The carbon cycle provides this balance. Carbon dioxide in the air interacts with rain to form acid rain that reacts with rocks and is eventually deposited into the oceans. Sea creatures, like coral and clam, take the carbon out of the water to build their bodies/shells. When these sea creatures die, their bodies form limestone, which is eventually subducted under a continental plate and released again as volcanic gas. This process is part of the carbon cycle. No matter is created or destroyed in this process. It only changes form and location. Volcanoes release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas), which can raise the Earth's surface temperature. Volcanoes can also release ash, which can block the Sun's light from reaching Earth's surface, therefore decreasing the surface temperature.

Removing Carbon from the Atmosphere

Original Animation from NASA

 

The process known as photosynthesis by green plants will remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Green plants use this carbon to build their bodies. In the NASA video watch how carbon moves from the atmosphere to the plants (stored as part of the plant and as food) to the consumers that eat the plants until it is eventually returned to the Earth during decomposition or added back to the atmosphere during respiration. The burning of fossil fuels like oil and gasoline returns the biological carbon stored in the Earth back into the atmosphere. The biological cycle is considered the "short-term" cycle. The geological cycle is considered "long-term." The biological and geological carbon cycles are actually two parts of the same cycle. 

Self-Reflection Assignment: Current Research - The USGS Gas Hydrates Lab

Please watch the following video.

Think about the significance of gas hydrates as a potential energy source.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.

GAS HYDRATES VIDEO IN PUBLIC DOMAIN VIA THE US DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR/US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY