SCIENCE HONORS Carbon Cycle SE Gizmo
Student Exploration: Carbon Cycle Vocabulary: atmosphere, biomass, biosphere, carbon reservoir, carbon sink, fossil fuel, geosphere, greenhouse gas, hydrosphere, lithosphere, photosynthesis P rior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.) In the pr...
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
In the process of photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the
atmosphere and water (H2O) from the soil. Using the energy of sunlight, plants build
molecules of glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2).
1. How do plants on Earth affect the amount of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere?
Since they consume carbon during photosynthesis, they consume carbon.
2. Animals eat plants and produce carbon dioxide and water. How do animals affect
the amount of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere? They release carbon in the
atmosphere.
Gizmo Warm-up
The Carbon Cycle Gizmo™ allows you to follow the
many paths an atom of carbon can take through Earth’s
systems. To begin, notice the black carbon atom in the
Atmospheric CO2 area, highlighted in yellow. The
glowing blue areas represent possible locations the
carbon atom could go next.
1. From Earth’s atmosphere, where can the carbon
atom go next? The Ocean
, 2. Click on Land plants and read the description. How did the carbon atom get from
the atmosphere to a plant? From exposed rocks and the atmosphere
3. Select Land animals. How did the carbon atom get from land plants into the
animal?
Land animals consume the plants to get carbon.
4. Select Atmospheric CO2. How did the carbon atom get from land animals back to
the atmosphere? Through the process of cellular respiration that occurs in animals.
Activity A:
Get the Gizmo ready:
Carbon Click Reset.
pathways
Introduction: Earth can be divided into four systems. The atmosphere is the air above
Earth’s surface. The hydrosphere is composed of all of Earth’s water. The geosphere
is the rocky, non-living part of Earth. The biosphere consists of all living things,
including people. Some scientists use the term “anthroposphere” to describe everything
made or modified by humans.
Question: How does carbon move between the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
biosphere, and geosphere?
1. Explore: Use the Gizmo to create a path for carbon that begins and ends in the
atmosphere. Fill in the steps in the path below. Then, label each location with the
system it represents. Finally, summarize very briefly how the carbon atom got to that
location.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller solutions. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $12.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
