Carbon cycle

• Carbon cycle


  This is how carbon transfers between different carbon reservoirs

  Vital for maintaining a stable climate

  Without carbon, the earth would be frozen

  Carbon is the basis of all life in earth
• 6 main processes in the carbon cycle

  Photosynthesis

  Respiration

  Exchange

  Sedimentation

  Extraction

  Combustion
• Photosynthesis 


  Converts carbon dioxide to oxygen using sunlight

  Removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in the plant biomass
• Respiration


  Converts oxygen into carbon dioxide

  Maintains carbon balance in ecosystems
• Combustion


  Process of burning fossil fuels

  Contributes to climate change and global warming

  Combustion = extraction
• Exchange


  Transfer of carbon dioxide from atmosphere to oceans

  Ocean serves as a carbon sink
• Sedimentation 


  This process forms sedimentary rocks such as limestones
• Extraction 


  Refers to human activity of mining or drilling fossil fuels

  This process releases carbon geological formations back to the atmosphere when the fuels are burned

  Causes climate change and global warming due to the increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide