Question

Explain the carbon cycle with the help of a simplified model.

Answer 1

Hint: The carbon cycle is a gaseous cycle. There is recycling of carbon elements in the atmosphere from abiotic and biotic organisms. The carbon is very abundant and majorly found in dissolved form in oceans.

Complete step by step answer:
-The movement of the nutrients through living and nonliving components is called nutrient cycling. This nutrient cycle associated with the recycling of the carbon is known as carbon cycle.
-The carbon cycle is a gaseous cycle where the reservoir of carbon is in air or water. The carbon constitutes about 49 percent of dry weight of an organism as the body is made up of hydrocarbons. The reservoir of carbon is the oceans where there is carbon. The carbon dioxide released by humans is assimilated by plants when they consume carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This assimilates carbon is returned back to the soil when the plant dies. The carbon is also transferred to soil when animals are dead and is decomposed by microbes.

The main sources of carbon are air, oceans, fossil fuel and rocks.

Note:
The nutrient cycle shows that the elements are recycled and used and neither of the elements are created in the process. This maintains the balance of nutrients in the environment.