The fast carbon cycle
Carbon that goes round in days to years.
Breathing in the garden
A plant takes in CO₂ from the air in sunlight. Animals breathe out CO₂.
Does the CO₂ in the air get used up for good?
What this lesson covers
The idea
In the fast carbon cycle, over days to years, plants turn atmospheric CO2 into glucose by photosynthesis, while respiration and the decomposition of dead organisms return CO2 to the air.
Breathing in the garden
A plant takes in CO₂ from the air in sunlight. Animals breathe out CO₂.
Does the CO₂ in the air get used up for good?
- No, it goes round again
- Yes, it is used up
- It turns into rock at once
Round in a short time
Press Next step.
A quick loop
In the fast cycle the carbon takes days to years to make a full round. Photosynthesis takes CO₂ out of the air, and respiration and decomposition put it back.
In the fast carbon cycle, over days to years, plants turn atmospheric CO₂ into glucose by photosynthesis, while respiration and the decomposition of dead organisms return CO₂ to the air.
Notes
In the fast carbon cycle (days to years), plants turn CO₂ into glucose by photosynthesis, and respiration and decomposition return CO₂ to the air.
Check yourself
Over what time does the fast carbon cycle happen?
What do plants convert atmospheric CO₂ into, using sunlight?
Which process releases CO₂ back into the atmosphere in the fast cycle?
What returns CO₂ to the air when plants and animals die?
- Millions of years. Millions of years is the time scale of the slow carbon cycle.
- A few seconds. The fast cycle happens over days to years.
- Days to years — correct. Yes!
- Glucose, by photosynthesis — correct. Yes!
- Coal, by decomposition. Coal forms from buried dead plants and animals over millions of years in the slow cycle.
- Oxygen, by respiration. Plants use CO₂ and sunlight to make glucose by photosynthesis. Respiration releases CO₂.
- Photosynthesis. Photosynthesis takes CO₂ from the atmosphere.
- Respiration — correct. Yes!
- Forming shells. Forming shells is done by marine organisms and stores carbon.
- Photosynthesis. Photosynthesis uses CO₂ from the air.
- Sinking to the ocean floor. That stores organic matter as carbon for a long period, which is part of the slow cycle.
- Decomposition — correct. Yes!