Question

Explain how respiration, combustion, and decomposition return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

Answer 1

1. Respiration:

• The process of breakdown of organic substrate to release energy, carbon dioxide, and other byproducts.
• The carbon dioxide produced by the breakdown of organic compounds gets returned into the atmosphere.

2. Combustion:

• The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, and petroleum and the burning of wood and other carbon-containing substances such as forest fires, etc, produces carbon dioxide which returns into the atmosphere.

3. Decomposition:

• The breakdown of organic compounds containing carbon by decomposers releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.