Carbon Basics
This term describes the movement of carbon through Earth’s major systems.
What is the carbon cycle?
This process uses sunlight to convert CO₂ into glucose.
What is photosynthesis?
This large body absorbs about 25–30% of atmospheric CO₂.
What are the oceans?
Cutting down forests reduces this natural removal of carbon from the air.
What is carbon sequestration (or photosynthesis)?
Carbon stored in ancient remains forms these energy sources.
What are fossil fuels?
This gas is the most common form of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere.
What is carbon dioxide (CO₂)?
Organisms release CO₂ by breaking down sugars during this process.
What is cellular respiration?
CO₂ reacting with seawater forms this weak acid.
What is carbonic acid?
This gas increases in the atmosphere due to human activity and traps heat.
What is CO₂?
Much of Earth’s long-term carbon is trapped in this type of rock.
What is sedimentary rock?
This Earth system includes plants, animals, and decomposers.
What is the biosphere?
This process releases carbon from dead organisms back into the soil and atmosphere.
What is decomposition?
Marine organisms form shells using this carbon-containing compound.
What is calcium carbonate?
This man-made material releases CO₂ during its production.
What is cement?
This slow process returns carbon from rocks to the atmosphere over millions of years.
What is weathering?
All living organisms are made of molecules based on this element.
What is carbon?
This human activity releases ancient carbon stored underground.
What is burning fossil fuels?
This process moves CO₂ between the atmosphere and the ocean surface.
What is diffusion?
This global trend is caused partly by rising CO₂ levels.
What is climate change / global warming?
Carbon eventually settles on the ocean floor and becomes this.
What are sediments?
This sphere includes fossil fuels and sedimentary rocks.
What is the geosphere?
This natural process can release CO₂ from deep within Earth through eruptions.
What is volcanic activity?
This problem occurs when too much CO₂ dissolves into the ocean, lowering pH.
What is ocean acidification?
This term describes the imbalance caused by humans releasing carbon faster than it can be absorbed.
What is carbon cycle disruption?
This term describes the long-term burial and compression that stores carbon for millions of years.
What is carbon sequestration (geologic sequestration)?