Question

What is the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

Carbon cycle :

1. The carbon cycle is the process of movement of carbon, a life-sustaining element from the atmosphere and oceans into the organisms and then back to the place from where it comes from i.e., the atmosphere.
2. The carbon cycle can occur in a short period of time and can take thousands of years to happen.

Major steps of the carbon cycle:

1. Carbon in the form of CO₂ is absorbed by the primary producers (plants) to prepare food.
2. Consumers like cows,goat,etc. consume plants, and carbon gets deposited in their bodies as organic carbon.
3. Animals release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by the process of respiration.
4. When plants and animals die, the organic carbon is given out into the atmosphere back as CO_2.
5. After the decay of the body, the left carbon becomes fossil fuels after many years, which releases carbon on combustion back into the atmosphere and the cycle gets completed.