The Carbon Cycle
Year 9 🌿 Materials & Environment Describe carbon stores and fluxes; explain the greenhouse effect.
🌿 The Carbon Cycle
Carbon is continuously cycled between the atmosphere, living organisms, oceans and rocks.
| Process | Carbon movement |
|---|---|
| Photosynthesis | CO₂ from atmosphere into plants |
| Respiration | Carbon (as CO₂) released from organisms |
| Combustion | CO₂ released from fuels/biomass |
| Decomposition | CO₂ or CH₄ released from dead matter |
| Fossilisation | Carbon stored in fossil fuels (over millions of years) |
🌍 Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse gases (CO₂, CH₄, H₂O, N₂O) absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, keeping Earth warm. Human activities are enhancing this effect.
Burning fossil fuels rapidly releases CO₂ that took millions of years to accumulate — disrupting the natural carbon cycle balance.
🌡️ Consequences & Solutions
Effects: rising temperatures, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, more extreme weather.
Solutions: renewable energy, carbon capture, reforestation, energy efficiency, reduced emissions.
Solutions: renewable energy, carbon capture, reforestation, energy efficiency, reduced emissions.
Ready to test yourself? Click the Quiz tab above to practise questions on this topic!
Interactive Demonstration — The Carbon Cycle
Explore the processes that move carbon through the environment.
Click an arrow or process to learn more.
🌿 Carbon Cycle Explorer
Calculate CO₂ produced by combustion of fossil fuels.