Gizmos Student Exploration: Carbon Cycle Answers Key 2023

Gizmos Student Exploration: Carbon Cycle Answers Key 2023. atmosphere, biomass, biosphere, carbon reservoir, carbon sink, fossil fuel, geosphere, greenhouse gas, hydrosphere, lithosphere, photosynthesis Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.) In the process of photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and water (H2O) from the soil. Using the energy of sunlight, plants build molecules of glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2). 1. How do plants on Earth affect the amount of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere? Plants absorb a great part of the carbon dioxide produced for them to do photosynthesis, so the levels of CO2 that raises to the atmosphere decrease in comparison to the production of it. 2. Animals eat plants and produce carbon dioxide and water. How do animals affect the amount of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere? Animals exhale carbon dioxide, a major part of it is consumed by the plants of the environment, but a part manages to raise to the atmosphere. Through food chains, animals eat or absorb the carbon dioxide found in plants or animals. Gizmo Warm-up The Carbon Cycle Gizmo allows you to follow the many paths an atom of carbon can take through Earth’s systems. To begin, notice the black carbon atom in the Atmospheric CO2 area, highlighted in yellow. The glowing blue areas represent possible locations the carbon atom could go next. 1. From Earth’s atmosphere, where can the carbon atom go next? The carbon atom goes to the oceanic CO2. 2. Click on Land plants and read the description. How did the carbon atom get from the atmosphere to a plant? Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is pulled from the air to produce food. 3. Select Land animals. How did the carbon atom get from land plants into the animals? Through food chains, land animal eat plants or animals that also eat plants, the carbon dioxide they store moves to the animal. 4. Select Atmospheric CO2. How did the carbon atom get from land animals back to the atmosphere? In the process of cellular respiration, animals and plants break down glucose to produce energy, releasing carbon dioxide and water into the atmosphere. Activity A: Carbon pathways Get the Gizmo ready:  Click Reset. Introduction: Earth can be divided into four systems. The atmosphere is the air above Earth’s surface. The hydrosphere is composed of all of Earth’s water. The geosphere is the rocky, non-living part of Earth. The 2018 biosphere consists of all living things, including people. Some scientists use the term “anthroposphere” to describe everything made or modified by humans. Question: How does carbon move between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere? 1. Explore: Use the Gizmo to create a path for carbon that begins and ends in the atmosphere. Fill in the steps in the path below. Then, label each location with the system it represents. Finally, summarize very briefly how the carbon atom got to that location.