Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
Carbon Cycle
What if..?
100

Students at Zeiger are studying photosynthesis in the field behind the portable. In the field, they find plants, insects, animals, and decomposers. Which group or groups of organisms carry out photosynthesis?

Plants

100

Students at Zeiger want to study cellular respiration in a lake ecosystem that has plants, animals, and decomposers. Which group or groups of organisms can carry out cellular respiration?

All living organisms - plants, animals and decomposers.

100

There are cows eating grass on a sunny day. What is happening to the carbon in the air around the living things?

Carbon is moving into and out of the air at the same time.

100

What if a plant is in the sunlight? Does the plant take carbon out of the air, put carbon back into the air or both?

Both

200

The sun is shining on Mrs. Nostdal's plant. The plant has water in it's pot. The plant takes in ____ from the air and makes _____________ and _____________.

Carbon or carbon dioxide and energy storage molecules and oxygen

200

In order to do cellular respiration what 2 things are needed?

Oxygen and Energy Storage Molecules.

200

A herd of deer eats leaves and grass during the daytime. Right now, it is dark out and the deer are not eating. Is carbon moving into the living things, moving out of the living things or both?

Moving out of the living things.

200

What if Maya takes a nap in the grass on a sunny day. Are the energy storage molecules in Maya increasing, decreasing or staying the same?

Decreasing.

300

The amount of carbon in Newton's aquarium water started high. Now the amount of carbon in the water is decreasing. Is the aquarium in the sunlight or is it nighttime?

Sunlight

300

A decrease in _________ caused the amount of carbon dioxide in the air of the biodome to decrease.

decomposers or cellular respiration

300

A scientist set up an experiment in a sealed ecosystem with no windows. The experimental ecosystem has plants and animals that eat those plants. The scientists can control whether the room is light or dark with a light switch outside the room. 

The amount of carbon in the air of the ecosystem started out low. Then the amount of carbon in the air started to increase. To cause the increase did the scientist turn the light on or off?

Off.

300

What if there is deforestation on a hillside and the trees are taken away to be made into houses. Will carbon increase or decrease in the air above the hillside?

Increase

400

Newton's aquarium is in the sunlight. As carbon decreases in the water, what happens to the energy storage molecules in the aquarium's plants?

They increase.

400

A herd of puppies romp and play in the grass in the sunshine. Does carbon move into the air, out of the air or both? Do the puppies' energy storage molecules increase, decrease or stay the same?

Both and decrease.

400

A scientist set up an experiment in a sealed ecosystem with no windows. The experimental ecosystem has plants and animals that eat those plants. The scientists can control whether the room is light or dark with a light switch outside the room. 

The amount of carbon in the air of the ecosystem started out low. Then the amount of carbon in the air started to increase. What happened to the energy storage molecules in the living things?

The number of energy molecules in the living things decreased.

400

What if Mrs. Nostdal's plant, Pickle, takes in carbon for several hours. Is the plant in sunlight? What has happened to the energy storage molecules in the plant?

Yes. Increased.

500

A herd of elk lives in a forest where they eat the leaves of trees. The amount of energy storage molecules in the trees and in the elk has increased. What has happened to the amount of carbon in the trees and the elk?

It has increased.

500

Newton's aquarium has algae and tiny snails that eat the algae. No material can get in or out, but light can get through the glass when it is placed in sunlight.

The number of energy storage molecules in the algae and shrimp started out high, but then the aquarium was moved and the number of energy storage molecules decreased. Was the aquarium moved into or out of the sunlight? What happened to the amount of carbon in the water?

Out of the light

The carbon in the water increased.

500

In the biodome the carbon in abiotic matter ______ and the carbon in biotic matter _________ and the total amount of carbon in the biodome ____________.

decreased, increased, stayed the same

500

Imagine Newton's aquarium is sealed. What if the aquarium sits in the sunlight all day, the plants take in carbon and the carbon level decreases in the water. What has happened to the total amount of carbon in Newton's aquarium? Has it increased, decreased or stayed the same?

Stayed the same!