Often referred to as the ‘building blocks of life’ the carbon cycle is the circulation and transformation of carbon between living organisms and the environment, as many living tissues contain carbon compounds (name, date). One of the most common elements on earth, carbon is the basis for all living things and the environment; carbon takes many forms and is distributed through the carbon cycle (name, date). Carbon exists in three main forms these include solid (coal / diamonds) liquid (crude oil) and as gas (carbon dioxide) making it widely distributed (name, date). The carbon cycle is separated into two main cycles, this includes the long term carbon cycle (also known as the geological cycle), which described the movement of carbon between surface reservoirs including rocks, minerals the ocean and the atmosphere (name, date). The second cycle is the short term cycle (also known as the biological cycle) which explains the movement of carbon between vegetation, living organisms such as animals,soil and fossil fuel burning (name, date). Both of these cycles make up the global carbon cycle, the long term cycle can be slow in the movement of carbon whereas the short term is more rapid (name, date). The phases of the carbon cycle act as a long term global thermostat, providing a hospitable environment for organisms to …show more content…
Melting is a stage but only in select environments (name,date). Water in the oceans moves to the atmosphere through evaporation, when heated by UV rays. This is where liquid water is turned into vapor or gas. Once this is in the atmosphere, atmospheric circulation transports it around the word. As this water is carried over land is is released in the form of precipitation either as rain or snow (when clouds can no longer withstand the weight of the snow or rain it is released). This may stay on land in the form of snow for years at a time but can also stay on land for allot longer as ice in solid form, this eventually melts and enters the cycle via transportation (name, date). Water can be transported across land in rivers, streams before being evaporated back into the atmosphere. Water can be stored in reservoirs such as lakes, absorbed into soil and rocks or may become groundwater (water that flows underground towards the nearest ocean)(name, date), it may continue to flow underground as run off until it reaches the ocean again. Plants release water into the atmosphere all the time through a process known as transpiration, during photosynthesis water release is higher. When plants absorb water through their roots, water vapor is released in the pores in their leaves in exchange for the intake of co2. This