Carbon Cycle 2/19

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The Carbon Cycle is the biogeochemical cycle in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth. There are many abiotic and biotic factors that are apart of the Carbon Cycle. Abiotic means if something is physical rather than biological and is not derived from living organisms. If something is biotic, it means that it is related to or resulting from living things. The abiotic and biotic factors that are included in the Carbon Cycle are the atmosphere, surface ocean, deep ocean, fossil fuels, soil, and plants. Carbon is recycled through Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis. So how exactly does carbon travel from abiotic and biotic factors? Most often, the carbon will start in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The carbon will usually circulate through the atmosphere for a while before going to the next part of the cycle. From here, the carbon dioxide will most likely travel to the plant stage. This happens during a process called Photosynthesis when plants breathe in carbon dioxide for food. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants use sunlight in order to create energy from carbon dioxide and water. The carbon is stored and used by the plant until the plant dies. As the plant decomposes, the carbon travels into the soil. When the carbon stores into the soil, it increases the soil quality. After years of being in the soil for so long, the carbon eventually turns into fossil fuels. At this point, the fossil fuels the carbon molecules are in, are burned in factories. From here, the carbon has two different destinations. The smoke from burning the fossil fuels can cause the carbon to return back to the atmosphere, where organisms can breathe it in. Or, the fossil fuels can find its way into a river/stream that travels to the ocean. Here, the carbon will most likely be consumed by an organism. For either situation, the carbon will commonly end up in an animal. At this stage, the carbon will usually travel through many different species as they consume each other in the energy pyramid. Soon the carbon will find its way back to the atmosphere as the animals perform Cellular Respiration or exhale the carbon. Although carbon generally travels in a cycle, not all carbon travels like this. Carbon can travel in any pattern throughout these biotic and abiotic factors.

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument from evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I filled out a worksheet related to the Carbon Cycle, providing a game that my table and I played that helped us understand how carbon travels from abiotic factors and biotic factors, as evidence. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that carbon doesn't always travel in the same pattern. That it can travel through any of the abiotic and biotic factors apart of the Carbon Cycle in any order, using the cycle pattern my table and I's carbon molecules went through as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that the carbon molecules always follow the same order and pattern in the Carbon Cycle, but because of the game that I played with my group in class, now I think that the carbon molecules don't always travel in the same pattern/order throughout the Carbon Cycle. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on how carbon travels throughout abiotic and biotic factors throughout the Carbon Cycle which I discussed with my table group. Together we figured out the different stages a carbon molecule can travel to in the Carbon Cycle. As well as the fact that the carbon doesn't have to go through the Carbon Cycle in the same order.

XCC: Patterns

The pattern that occurs in the Carbon Cycle is the cycle that the carbon molecules go through as they travel from abiotic and biotic factors. The carbon molecules routine through the same seven stages in the cycle. These stages include the atmosphere, animals, surface ocean, deep ocean, fossil fuels, soil, and plants. The carbon molecules usually follow a general course through the Carbon Cycle. This pattern includes the carbon dioxide starting in the atmosphere, used by plants through Photosynthesis, decomposed and stored in soil, turned into fossil fuels, burned and finding its way to the ocean, traveling to the surface and consumed by animals, traveling through different species, then finally returning to the atmosphere as the animals perform Cellular Respiration. However, this doesn't mean that all carbon molecules always follow the same pattern. The carbon can actually travel to and from any stage of the cycle, in any order. This is because all stages or abiotic and biotic factors of the cycle are able to connect with each other in some way. They allow the carbon to directly travel to any stage from any stage of the cycle. This pattern in the Carbon Cycle can answer many questions on how carbon travels to and from different organisms and places. Such as answering the question of how carbon can travel from a plant to an animal. By observing and studying the Carbon Cycle, one can easily tell that this situation happens when the certain species consumes the plant directly or consumes an organism that consumed that particular plant.