Carbon Cycle Gizmo

Student‌‌Exploration:‌‌Carbon‌‌Cycle‌

CLO:‌‌I‌‌w ill‌‌explain‌‌the‌‌steps‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Carbon‌‌Cycle‌‌by‌‌completing‌‌a‌‌gizmo.‌

Vocabulary‌:‌‌atmosphere,‌‌biomass,‌‌biosphere,‌‌c arbon‌‌reservoir,‌‌c arbon‌‌s ink,‌‌fossil‌‌fuel,‌
geosphere,‌‌greenhouse‌‌gas,‌‌hydrosphere,‌‌lithosphere,‌‌photosynthesis‌

Prior‌‌Knowledge‌‌Q uestions‌‌(Do‌‌these‌‌BEFORE‌‌using‌‌the‌‌G izmo.)‌
In‌‌the‌‌process‌‌of‌‌photosynthesis‌,‌‌plants‌‌take‌‌in‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide‌‌(CO‌2‌)‌‌from‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌and‌
water‌‌(H‌2‌O)‌‌from‌‌the‌‌s oil.‌‌Using‌‌the‌‌energy‌‌of‌‌s unlight,‌‌plants‌‌build‌‌m olecules‌‌of‌‌glucose‌
(C‌6‌H‌12‌O‌6‌)‌‌and‌‌oxygen‌‌(O‌2‌).‌

1. How‌‌do‌‌plants‌‌on‌‌Earth‌‌affect‌‌the‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌c arbon‌‌in‌‌Earth’s‌‌atmosphere?‌

Plants‌‌take‌‌c arbon‌‌from‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌to‌‌photosynthesize.‌‌O ccurs‌‌when‌‌Earth's‌

atmosphere‌‌is‌‌trapped‌‌in‌‌s olar‌‌radiation.‌

2. Animals‌‌eat‌‌plants‌‌and‌‌produce‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide‌‌and‌‌water.‌‌How‌‌do‌‌animals‌‌affect‌‌the‌
amount‌‌of‌‌c arbon‌‌in‌‌Earth’s‌‌atmosphere?‌

When‌‌animals‌‌eat‌‌food,‌‌they‌‌get‌‌c arbon‌‌in‌‌the‌‌form‌‌of‌‌c arbohydrates‌‌and‌‌proteins.‌‌The‌

carbon‌‌c ombines‌‌with‌‌oxygen‌‌to‌‌form‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide‌‌and‌‌is‌‌released‌‌back‌‌into‌‌the‌
atmosphere‌‌as‌‌a‌‌waste‌‌product‌‌when‌‌animals‌‌breathe‌‌and‌‌exhale.‌

Gizmo‌‌Warm-up‌
The‌‌Carbon‌‌Cycle‌‌G izmo‌‌allows‌‌y ou‌‌to‌‌follow‌‌the‌‌m any‌
paths‌‌an‌‌atom‌‌of‌‌c arbon‌‌c an‌‌take‌‌through‌‌Earth’s‌‌s ystems.‌
To‌‌begin,‌‌notice‌‌the‌‌black‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Atmospheric‌
CO‌2‌‌ ‌area,‌‌highlighted‌‌in‌‌y ellow.‌‌The‌‌glowing‌‌blue‌‌areas‌
represent‌‌possible‌‌locations‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌c ould‌‌go‌‌next.‌

1. From‌‌Earth’s‌‌atmosphere,‌‌where‌‌c an‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌
go‌‌next?‌

The‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌c an‌‌go‌‌to‌‌the‌‌oceanic‌‌c o2,‌‌land‌‌plants,‌

and‌‌exposed‌‌rock.‌

2. Click‌‌on‌‌Land‌‌plants‌‌and‌‌read‌‌the‌‌description.‌‌How‌‌did‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌get‌‌from‌‌the‌
atmosphere‌‌to‌‌a‌‌plant?‌

The‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌gets‌‌to‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌of‌‌a‌‌plant‌‌it‌‌gets‌
there‌‌through‌‌photosynthesis.‌

3. Select‌‌Land‌‌animals‌.‌‌How‌‌did‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌get‌‌from‌‌land‌‌plants‌‌into‌‌the‌‌animal?‌

The‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌gets‌‌from‌‌land‌‌plants‌‌into‌‌the‌‌animal‌‌by‌
being‌‌c onsumed.‌

4. Select‌‌Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌.‌‌How‌‌did‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌get‌‌from‌‌land‌‌animals‌‌back‌‌to‌‌the‌
atmosphere?‌

The‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌gets‌‌back‌‌from‌‌the‌‌land‌‌to‌‌the‌
atmosphere‌‌by‌‌c ellular‌‌respiration.‌

Activity‌‌A:‌ Get‌‌the‌‌G izmo‌‌ready‌:‌

Carbon‌‌pathways‌ ● Click‌‌Reset‌.‌
Introduction:‌‌‌Earth‌‌c an‌‌be‌‌divided‌‌into‌‌four‌‌s ystems.‌ ‌The‌‌atmosphere‌‌‌is‌‌the‌‌air‌‌above‌‌Earth’s‌

surface.‌‌The‌‌hydrosphere‌‌‌is‌‌c omposed‌‌of‌‌all‌‌of‌‌Earth’s‌‌water.‌‌The‌‌geosphere‌‌‌is‌‌the‌‌rocky,‌
non-living‌‌part‌‌of‌‌Earth.‌‌The‌‌biosphere‌‌‌c onsists‌‌of‌‌all‌‌living‌‌things,‌‌including‌‌people.‌‌Some‌
scientists‌‌use‌‌the‌‌term‌‌“anthroposphere”‌‌to‌‌describe‌‌everything‌‌m ade‌‌or‌‌m odified‌‌by‌‌humans.‌

Question:‌‌How‌‌does‌‌carbon‌‌move‌‌between‌‌the‌‌atmosphere,‌‌hydrosphere,‌‌biosphere,‌‌and‌
geosphere?‌
1. Explore‌:‌‌Use‌‌the‌‌G izmo‌‌to‌‌c reate‌‌a‌‌path‌‌for‌‌c arbon‌‌that‌‌begins‌‌and‌‌ends‌‌in‌‌the‌‌atmosphere.‌
Fill‌‌in‌‌the‌‌s teps‌‌in‌‌the‌‌path‌‌below.‌‌Then,‌‌label‌‌each‌‌location‌‌with‌‌the‌‌s ystem‌‌it‌‌represents.‌
Finally,‌‌s ummarize‌‌v ery‌‌briefly‌‌how‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌got‌‌to‌‌that‌‌location.‌

Carbon‌‌path‌ System‌ How‌‌it‌‌got‌‌there‌
Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌ Atmosphere‌ Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌‌ ‌c omes‌‌from‌‌v olcanoes,‌‌burning‌‌fossil‌

fuels,‌‌and‌‌other‌‌s ources.‌

Hydrosphere‌
Oceanic‌‌CO2‌ ‌

Hydrosphere‌
‌Shells/Coral‌ and‌‌Biosphere‌
‌

Hydrosphere‌
‌O ceanic‌‌CO2‌
‌

Biosphere/Hydro‌
Marine‌‌Plants‌‌and‌ sphere‌
algae‌ ‌

Biosphere‌
Marine‌‌Animals‌
‌

‌Hydrosphere‌
Oceanic‌‌CO2‌

2. Create‌:‌‌Click‌‌Reset‌.‌‌Use‌‌the‌‌G izmo‌‌to‌‌c reate‌‌a‌‌path‌‌in‌‌which‌‌the‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌goes‌‌from‌
the‌‌atmosphere‌‌to‌‌the‌‌hydrosphere,‌‌biosphere‌‌and‌‌geosphere.‌‌Describe‌‌each‌‌transition‌
briefly.‌

Atmosphere‌ Hydrosphere‌ Biosphere‌ Geosphere‌
Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌ ‌O ceanic‌‌CO2‌ Marine‌ ‌Sediments‌

Plants/Algae‌
>Marine‌‌Animals‌
Volcanoes,‌‌burning‌‌fossil‌
‌Rainwater‌ ‌During‌ ‌Uneaten‌‌plants‌‌and‌
fuels,‌‌and‌‌other‌‌s ources.‌
breaks‌‌down‌ photosynthesis‌ algae‌‌drift‌‌down‌‌to‌
exposed‌‌rocks.‌ ,‌‌m arine‌‌algae‌ the‌‌ocean‌‌floor‌‌and‌
and‌‌plants‌ become‌‌a‌‌part‌‌of‌
remove‌‌c arbon‌ marine‌‌s ediments‌
dioxide‌

3. Explore‌:‌‌Use‌‌the‌‌G izmo‌‌to‌‌c reate‌‌three‌‌m ore‌‌c arbon‌‌paths,‌‌each‌‌s tarting‌‌and‌‌ending‌‌in‌‌the‌
atmosphere.‌‌Label‌‌each‌‌location‌‌with‌‌A‌‌for‌‌atmosphere,‌‌B‌‌for‌‌biosphere,‌‌G ‌‌for‌‌geosphere,‌‌or‌
H‌‌for‌‌hydrosphere.‌‌(You‌‌c an‌‌also‌‌use‌‌P‌‌for‌‌the‌‌anthroposphere‌‌if‌‌y ou‌‌like,‌‌or‌‌just‌‌include‌‌it‌‌in‌
the‌‌biosphere.)‌
1.‌‌Path‌‌A‌‌( Atmosphere)‌‌: ‌
Carbon‌‌Path:‌‌Atmospheric‌‌CO2:‌‌t his‌‌arises‌‌f rom‌‌g eological‌‌sources‌‌such‌‌as‌‌volcanoes,‌‌b urning‌‌f ossil‌‌f uels,‌
etc.‌‌T his‌‌g ets‌‌carbon‌‌d ioxide‌‌b ack‌‌into‌‌t he‌‌atmosphere‌‌d uring‌‌t hese‌‌p rocesses.‌
2.‌‌Path‌‌G ‌‌( Geosphere)‌
Carbon‌‌Path:‌‌L ithosphere:‌‌Earth’s‌‌carbon‌‌h as‌‌b een‌‌researched‌‌t o‌‌h ave‌‌large‌‌limestone‌‌d eposits.‌‌T his‌
limestone‌‌can‌‌b e‌‌f ound‌‌in‌‌t he‌‌Earth's‌‌lithosphere.‌‌T hrough‌‌t he‌‌h eating‌‌o f‌‌limestone,‌‌carbon‌‌d ioxide‌‌g ets‌
back‌‌t o‌‌t he‌‌atmosphere.‌
3.‌‌Path‌‌H‌‌( Hydrosphere)‌
Carbon‌‌Path:‌‌O ceania‌‌CO2:‌‌t here‌‌is‌‌a‌‌large‌‌d eposit‌‌o f‌‌d issolved‌‌CO2‌‌u nderneath‌‌t he‌‌o cean.‌‌As‌‌t he‌‌o cean‌
gets‌‌colder,‌‌it‌‌d issolves‌‌m ore.‌‌T he‌‌p lants‌‌absorbed‌‌carbon‌‌d ioxide‌‌t hrough‌‌p hotosynthesis‌‌and‌‌g et‌‌b ack‌‌t o‌
the‌‌atmosphere‌

4. Explain‌:‌‌Based‌‌on‌‌the‌‌G izmo,‌‌explain‌‌how‌‌the‌‌following‌‌transitions‌‌m ight‌‌take‌‌place:‌

A. Describe‌‌at‌‌least‌‌two‌‌ways‌‌that‌‌c arbon‌‌c an‌‌get‌‌from‌‌a‌‌land‌‌plant‌‌to‌‌the‌‌atmosphere.‌

1. Carbon‌‌is‌‌released‌‌from‌‌the‌‌plant‌‌into‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌through‌‌the‌‌process‌‌of‌
respiration‌‌in‌‌the‌‌form‌‌of‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide.‌

2. The‌‌other‌‌way‌‌of‌‌releasing‌‌c arbon‌‌from‌‌the‌‌plant‌‌into‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌is‌‌by‌
decomposition.‌

B. Describe‌‌at‌‌least‌‌two‌‌ways‌‌that‌‌c arbon‌‌c an‌‌get‌‌from‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌to‌‌the‌
hydrosphere.‌

1. One‌‌way‌‌is‌‌that‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide‌‌automatically‌‌dissolves‌‌in‌‌c old‌‌ocean‌‌s urface‌

waters‌‌anyway‌‌s o‌‌large‌‌bodies‌‌of‌‌water‌‌already‌‌have‌‌a‌‌c oncentration‌‌of‌
carbon‌‌dioxide.‌

2. Another‌‌way‌‌is‌‌when‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide‌‌dissolves‌‌in‌‌rainwater‌‌which‌‌later‌‌reacts‌
with‌‌m inerals‌‌in‌‌rocks.‌

C. Can‌‌y ou‌‌find‌‌two‌‌ways‌‌that‌‌c arbon‌‌c an‌‌get‌‌from‌‌the‌‌ocean‌‌to‌‌the‌‌lithosphere‌?‌‌(The‌
lithosphere‌‌is‌‌the‌‌rigid‌‌layer‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Earth,‌‌including‌‌the‌‌c rust‌‌and‌‌part‌‌of‌‌the‌‌m antle.)‌

1. ocean‌‌to‌‌the‌‌lithosphere‌‌is‌‌through‌‌the‌‌m arine‌‌plants‌‌+‌‌animals‌‌(in‌‌the‌
ocean),‌‌s ediments,‌‌petroleum‌‌than‌‌to‌‌the‌‌lithosphere.‌

2. The‌‌s econd‌‌way‌‌is‌‌through‌‌the‌‌s hells‌‌+‌‌c oral‌‌(in‌‌the‌‌ocean),‌‌limestone,‌‌then‌
to‌‌the‌‌lithosphere.‌

D. Describe‌‌at‌‌least‌‌two‌‌ways‌‌that‌‌c arbon‌‌c an‌‌get‌‌from‌‌s eashells‌‌to‌‌the‌‌atmosphere.‌

1. Crashing‌‌of‌‌tectonic‌‌plates.‌

2. Odd‌‌bleaching‌‌of‌‌v olcanoes.‌

Carbon Cycle Gizmo

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Carbon Cycle Gizmo

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Student‌‌Exploration:‌‌Carbon‌‌Cycle‌

Plants‌‌take‌‌c arbon‌‌from‌‌the‌‌atmosphere‌‌to‌‌photosynthesize.‌‌O ccurs‌‌when‌‌Earth's‌

When‌‌animals‌‌eat‌‌food,‌‌they‌‌get‌‌c arbon‌‌in‌‌the‌‌form‌‌of‌‌c arbohydrates‌‌and‌‌proteins.‌‌The‌

The‌‌c arbon‌‌atom‌‌c an‌‌go‌‌to‌‌the‌‌oceanic‌‌c o2,‌‌land‌‌plants,‌

Introduction:‌‌‌Earth‌‌c an‌‌be‌‌divided‌‌into‌‌four‌‌s ystems.‌ ‌The‌‌atmosphere‌‌‌is‌‌the‌‌air‌‌above‌‌Earth’s‌

Carbon‌‌path‌ System‌ How‌‌it‌‌got‌‌there‌

Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌ Atmosphere‌ Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌‌ ‌c omes‌‌from‌‌v olcanoes,‌‌burning‌‌fossil‌

Atmosphere‌ Hydrosphere‌ Biosphere‌ Geosphere‌

Atmospheric‌‌CO‌2‌ ‌O ceanic‌‌CO2‌ Marine‌ ‌Sediments‌

1. One‌‌way‌‌is‌‌that‌‌c arbon‌‌dioxide‌‌automatically‌‌dissolves‌‌in‌‌c old‌‌ocean‌‌s urface‌

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