Science Common Sense

1419 - How is carbon stored and circulated in nature?

Imagine a big circle, that's basically how carbon is stored and circulated in nature.

1. Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air, using energy from sunlight, and turn it into glucose (a type of sugar) and oxygen. This is called photosynthesis.
2. Plants store carbon in their leaves, stems, and roots.
3. Animals eat plants and use the glucose for energy, releasing CO2 back into the air when they breathe.
4. Animals and plants die, and their bodies become part of the soil, where carbon is stored in the form of organic matter.
5. Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi break down dead plants and animals, releasing some carbon back into the air as CO2 and storing some in the soil.
6. Eventually, carbon-rich soil is compressed over millions of years, forming fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.
7. Fossil fuels are extracted and burned, releasing CO2 back into the air.

This circle is called the carbon cycle, and it keeps nature balanced by constantly storing and circulating carbon in different forms.