Copy of Gizmo Student Exploration_ Carbon Cycle Lab Modified

Vocabulary: 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 help reduce carbon by absorbing carbon dioxide and making it into oxygen. 2. Animals eat plants and produce carbon dioxide and water. How do animals affect the amount of carbon in Earth’s atmosphere? The animals increase the amount of carbon dioxide. 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 land plants, exposed rocks and the ocean. 2. Click on Land plants and read the description. How did the carbon atom get from the atmosphere to a plant? Because of Photosynthesis. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :06:09 GMT -05:00 3. Select Land animals. How did the carbon atom get from land plants into the animal? Through the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is pulled from the air to produce food made from carbon for plant growth. Carbon moves from plants to animals. Through food chains, the carbon that is in plants moves to the animals that eat them. Animals that eat other animals get the carbon from their food too. 4. Select Atmospheric CO2. How did the carbon atom get from land animals back to the atmosphere? The animal releases the carbon back into the air by the process of cellular respiration. 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 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. Create: Click Reset. Use the Gizmo to create a path in which the carbon atom goes from the atmosphere to the hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere. Describe each transition briefly. Atmosphere Hydrosphere (water) Biosphere (living) Geosphere (non-living) Atmospheric CO2 Ocean Marine plants and algae. Sediments Volcanoes, burning fossil fuels, and other sources. Rain water breaks down exposed rocks. During photosynthesis, marine algae and plants remove carbon dioxide. Uneaten plants and algae drift down to the ocean floor and become a part of marine sediments. This study source was downloaded by from CourseH on :06:09 GMT -05:00 Activity A (continued from previous page) 2. Explore: Use the Gizmo to create two more carbon paths, each starting and ending in the atmosphere. Label each location with A for atmosphere, B for biosphere, G for geosphere, or H for hydrosphere. (You can also use P for anthroposphere if you like, or just include it in the biosphere.)