Importance of carbon/water

• Water


  Provides medium to allow organic molecules to mix and form more complex structures
• Earth


  • Lies in the 'goldilocks zone' - 'just right' distance from the sun for liquid water
• Liquid water on Earth

  Greatly increases life forms on the planet
• Water


  • Moderates global temperatures
  • Oceans absorb heat, store it and slowly release it in colder parts via ocean currents
  • Ice reflects a large proportion of energy from the sun (albedo effect)
  • Water vapour is a greenhouse gas that absorbs long-wave radiation from Earth to help maintain global temperatures 15°C higher
• Earth is habitable as the temperature is perfect for liquid water
• 51% of incoming solar energy is absorbed by land and oceans
• 64% of the Earth's energy budget is radiated to space from clouds and the atmosphere
• Photosynthesis


  1. CO₂ + water + sunlight makes glucose and starches

  2. Produces oxygen for humans to breathe

  3. Produces glucose as food for plants
• Respiration


  1. Converts glucose to energy through reaction with oxygen

  2. Releases CO₂ and water
• Transpiration


  Water transpires off leaves surface to cool plant by evaporative cooling
• Water


  • Required by plants to maintain rigidity and transport mineral nutrients from the soil
• Water


  • Used by animals for respiration, circulation of oxygen and nutrients, and evaporative cooling
• Living organisms are 60-95% water
• Water


  • Medium for all chemical reactions in the human body
  • Used for circulation of oxygen and nutrients
  • Helps keep the body cool by evaporating from the skin
• 70% of water use is in agriculture to irrigate crops
• Water is also used for drinking, sewage disposal, recreational facilities and generating electricity
• Water is used in industries such as food, brewing, steel and paper
• Carbon


  • Common chemical element and one of the building blocks for life
  • Life is built from large molecules of carbon atoms, such as proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids
• Stored carbonate rocks (limestone), sea floor sediments, ocean water and the atmosphere contain carbon
• Humans are 18% carbon
• Carbon


  • Fossil fuels power the global economy, especially for electricity
  • Carbon is used as a raw material in manufacturing products for human use, such as plastic, paint and synthetic fabrics
  • Crops and forest trees store carbon available as food, timber and paper
• Carbon


  • Used in photosynthesis
  • Used in respiration
  • In the atmosphere, CO₂ helps absorb infrared radiation from Earth to keep the planet warm and support life