Name: Date:
Student Exploration: Carbon Cycle
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? They absorb it.
2. Animals eat plants and produce carbon dioxide and
water. How do animals affect the amount of carbon in
Earth’s atmosphere? They produce it.
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? Ocean, exposed rocks,
and land plants.
, 2. Click on Land plants and read the description. How did the
carbon atom get from the atmosphere to a plant? Through
photosynthesis.
3. Select Land animals. How did the carbon atom get from
land plants into the animal? Land animals eat plants since
most carbon is stored in wood a small amount is eaten.
4. Select Atmospheric CO2. How did the carbon atom get from land
animals back to the atmosphere?
Through cellular respiration, they produce energy
and carbon dioxide and water are released.
Student Exploration: Carbon Cycle
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? They absorb it.
2. Animals eat plants and produce carbon dioxide and
water. How do animals affect the amount of carbon in
Earth’s atmosphere? They produce it.
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? Ocean, exposed rocks,
and land plants.
, 2. Click on Land plants and read the description. How did the
carbon atom get from the atmosphere to a plant? Through
photosynthesis.
3. Select Land animals. How did the carbon atom get from
land plants into the animal? Land animals eat plants since
most carbon is stored in wood a small amount is eaten.
4. Select Atmospheric CO2. How did the carbon atom get from land
animals back to the atmosphere?
Through cellular respiration, they produce energy
and carbon dioxide and water are released.
