Chapter 13: Nutrient Cycling
Cycling WebQuest
Directions: Visit the following websites and answer the related questions. Your goal is to gain a better understanding of the carbon and nitrogen cycles.
1. How does carbon exist in the atmosphere?
In the atmosphere, carbon is combined with oxygen to form Carbon Dieoxide or C02.
2. How are fossil fuels created? Explain.
Fossil Fuels are created by phytoplankton that die and sink to the bottom of the sea floor that are then pressurized, and, hundreds of million years later, form oil deposits.
3. Describe two ways that carbon enters the atmosphere.
The Oceans take CO2 from the air, and it then dissolves in the water, acidifying it.
5. How is the temperature of the Earth partly controlled by carbon?
Since CO2 is a greenhouse gas, it causes the upper layers of our atmosphere to block heat trying to escape the earth's surface, but allows the Sun's heat to come in. This is what causes climate change (for the warmer).
6. What role do rocks have within the carbon cycle?
In the carbon cycle, the weathering of rocks leads to more carbon in the surface water around it.
Directions: Visit the following websites and answer the related questions. Your goal is to gain a better understanding of the carbon and nitrogen cycles.
1. How does carbon exist in the atmosphere?
In the atmosphere, carbon is combined with oxygen to form Carbon Dieoxide or C02.
2. How are fossil fuels created? Explain.
Fossil Fuels are created by phytoplankton that die and sink to the bottom of the sea floor that are then pressurized, and, hundreds of million years later, form oil deposits.
3. Describe two ways that carbon enters the atmosphere.
- It is exhaled out by animals like us that breath oxygen
- Factories and other places that burn fossil fuels release oxygen.
The Oceans take CO2 from the air, and it then dissolves in the water, acidifying it.
5. How is the temperature of the Earth partly controlled by carbon?
Since CO2 is a greenhouse gas, it causes the upper layers of our atmosphere to block heat trying to escape the earth's surface, but allows the Sun's heat to come in. This is what causes climate change (for the warmer).
6. What role do rocks have within the carbon cycle?
In the carbon cycle, the weathering of rocks leads to more carbon in the surface water around it.