The carbon cycle shows how carbon moves between               different carbon reservoirs including the atmosphere, oceans and land on Earth.

Photosynthesis is a process where energy from sunlight is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Cellular respiration is a chemical process that uses glucose from food as a fuel to provide energy for life processes.

Combustion is when a substance reacts with oxygen, giving out thermal energy to the surroundings.

Decomposition is the break down of dead and decaying matter.

The carbon cycle

Science

In the Atmosphere and Changing Climate unit, pupils will build on their understanding of the carbon cycle and climate change to explore the evidence for the composition and evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, and the effects and mitigation of increased levels of carbon dioxide and methane.

In the Earth's Resources unit, pupils learned about the composition of rock, the interior of the Earth, and how igneous and metamorphic rocks are made by heating.

Carbon cycle and climate change

What is the process where energy from sunlight is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen?

Which of the following increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

decreases the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

has no effect on the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

What effect does decomposition have on the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Which of the following are ways that carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere?

Carbon is transferred to animals when they eat plants.

When animals and plants die carbon is transferred to the soil.

Decomposition removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Combustion releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide dissolved in the oceans reacts to form carbonate compounds.

Which of the following is **not** a way that carbon is transferred between different carbon reservoirs.

The carbon dioxide reacts to form carbonate compouds.

The carbonate compounds are used to make shells and bones.

When the organisms die the shells and bones drop to the bottom of the ocean.

Layers of mud covers the shells and bones.

Over millions of years fossil fuels form.

The fossil fuels are burnt releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere when they photosynthesise.

Rearrange the statements to explain one way that carbon dioxide in the oceans can end up in plants.

Which of the following do not photosynthesise?

What is the molecular formula of carbon dioxide?

What three things are required for combustion?

carbon dioxide + glucose → water + oxygen

oxygen + glucose → carbon dioxide + water

carbon dioxide + water → oxygen + glucose

oxygen + water → carbon dioxide + glucose

Which of the following is the correct equation for respiration?

What key term describes the break down of dead and decaying matter?

Carbon atoms are transferred to the caterpillar when it eats the plant.

Carbon atoms are transferred from the caterpillar to the plant when it is eaten.

Carbon atoms from the plant pass to the soil when it dies.

Carbon atoms get broken up when the plant is eaten.

Look at the image of a food chain. Where do carbon atoms in the plant get transferred to?

Starter Quiz