ESSENTIAL QUESTIONHOW DOES CARBON MOVE THROUGH THE

SPHERE OF THE EARTH?LEARNING TARGET

I CAN IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS THAT CARBON TAKES THROUGH THE CARBON

CYCLE.

CARBON CYCLING

STARTER: CONSIDER THE CLIMATE

• Which statements are true?1. Temperature and rainfall are main features of climate.2. Topography plays only a small role in climate control.3. Ocean currents are not a factor in climate control.4. Marine climates are relatively constant.5. Climate has no effect on weathering.6. A major influence on a region’s climate is its latitude.

STARTER•Which is associated with an increase of chlorofluorocarbons in the environment?

A. an increase in health risks associated with UV radiation

B. an increase in levels of methane gas in the atmosphere

C. an increase in ozone levels in the upper atmosphere

D. an increase in acid precipitation

CARBON • Extremely common across the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, & lithosphere.• Found in living and non-living parts such as: components in organisms, atmospheric gases, water, and rocks.•Usually found as CO₂ or Methane (CH₄)•Does the carbon contained in the spheres remain there forever?

CYCLING•The amount of carbon that is on the planet has always been on the planet(1 exception).•Carbon amounts change between the spheres because of cycling.

THE CARBON CYCLE• Reservoirs- places where carbon is stored• Flows- movement between reservoirsReservoirs- atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere

Flows- processes by which carbon moves from one reservoir to another

PROCESSES BY WHICH CARBON MOVES

• Short time scale• Photosynthesis-

moves C from the atmosphere to the biosphere• Respiration• Predator-prey transfer• Emissions• Exchanges

• Long time scale• Sediment formation-

moves C from dead crustaceans in the ocean to the very bottom to subduction zones inside the mantle.• Volcanic Eruptions• Rock cycle• Weathering & erosion

of carbon containing rocks

HUMAN IMPACT ON CARBON CYCLING

• Burning fossil fuels• Deforestation• ManufacturingBurning fossil fuels takes C from sediments

and rocks where fossil fuels are buried and puts it into the atmosphere. Cutting and burning trees takes C from the land plants and puts it into the atmosphere. Hence, humans are not creating more carbon they are just moving it at an unnatural rate and this affects our climate.

CARBON CYCLE VIDEO

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vJ_1ojjlxw

A CARBON MOLECULES JOURNEY

• C can be found in plants, animals, rocks, air, and ocean water.• Carbon dioxide is one form that carbon takes to move through the carbon cycle.•How is carbon produced and used?

PART 1•List some things in your daily life that produce Carbon Dioxide.

CARBON CYCLE ROLE-PLAY

• Before we start make 2 cards (the size of credit cards or business cards)•On one side write CARBON DIOXIDE•On the other side write• SOURCE:___________• 1. 4. 7. 10.• 2. 5. 8.• 3. 6. 9.

CARBON CYCLING

Air

Water

Land

EXIT SLIP•How did the carbon cycle change when human impacts were added?•Does anyone know why human impacts changed the cycle?