The carbon cycle works by continuously moving carbon atoms through the atmosphere, plants, animals, soils, oceans, and fossil reserves in a natural cycle crucial for life on Earth. It involves several key steps and processes:
- Carbon enters the atmosphere mainly as carbon dioxide (CO2), released through respiration from animals and humans, burning fossil fuels, and decomposition.
- Plants absorb atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis, converting it into energy-rich compounds that support plant growth.
- Carbon compounds then move through the food chain as animals eat plants and other animals, transferring carbon to living organisms.
- When organisms die, carbon is returned to the atmosphere by decomposition, or it may be stored in soil, sediments, or fossil fuels formed over millions of years.
- Oceans also play a vital role by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere; marine plants and phytoplankton use this carbon, and some carbon sinks into deep ocean layers or sediments.
- The cycle repeats continuously, balancing carbon among reservoirs like the atmosphere, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and geological deposits.
This cycle is driven primarily by photosynthesis and cellular respiration, keeping Earth's carbon levels stable, which is essential to regulating global temperature and supporting life.
