PHIL 2380 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Carbon Cycle, Keeling Curve, Geosphere
14 Mar 2016
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Document Summary
Carbon cycle: system through which carbon circulates through the earth"s geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Specifically including exchanges between carbon in the earth ( as petroleum) and the atmosphere (as co2) through combustion and back again through sequestration. Photosynthesis: process through which plants use the sun"s energy to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars that are used to build tissue. Carbon dioxide (co2) is the most common gaseous form of carbon. Most of the earth"s carbon is located in rocks in the crust. The rest moves between oceans, the atmosphere, plants, soils, and animals. This movement of carbon is known as the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis is the process through which plants convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds, and is one phase of the carbon cycle. Some carbon escapes the carbon cycle when it becomes trapped in rocks in the earth"s crust, where it becomes coal and petroleum.
