What is carbon?

*Carbon is a chemical element.

*Its symbol is a C and its atomic number is 6.

*It is a member of the group 14 in the periodic table.

*Group 14 is also called the Carbon Group consisting of Silicon (Si), Germanium (Ge), Tin, (Sn), Lead (Pb)    and Flerovium (Fl).

Carbon and its cycle

*The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere of the Earth.

*The carbon cycle comprises a sequence of events that are key to making the Earth capable of sustaining life, such as the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle.

*It shows us the movement of carbon as it is recycled and reused throughout the biosphere.

The Global Carbon Budget

*It is the balance of exchanges of carbon between the carbon reservoirs or between one specific loop of the carbon cycle.

*It can provide information about whether the reservoir is functioning as a source or sink for carbon dioxide.

Who created the carbon cycle?

The carbon cycle was initially discovered by Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoiser, and popularized by Humphry Davy.

Carbon cycle steps

Carbon  is normally being exchanged among the atmosphere , land water and living things. It is constantly on the move. This is how it works:

1. CARBON IS REMOVED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE:

Plants are constantly removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis. Certain bacteria use carbon dioxide to synthesize the organic compounds they need.

2. ENTRY OF CARBON FROM PLANTS INTO THE ANIMAL WORK:

Carnivorous animals receive food made by green plants which have carbon.  

3. ENTRY OF CARBON FROM ATMOSPHERE INTO THE WATER BODIES:

Carbon dioxide is continuously being dissolved in the seas and oceans through the a process called diffusion. Once dissolved, this CO2 remains as it is in the marine water or may be converted into carbonates and bicarbonates. Photosynthesis is made by the marine plants when  CO2 dissolves. Carbonates are converted into calcium carbonate by some marine organisms, it is used by corals and oysters to make their shells, and when these organisms die, their shells  deposit on the sea floor and turn into sedimentary rocks.

4. CARBON MOVES FROM LIVING THINGS TO THE LAND:

As animals  and plants die, they get buried under the ground, after millions of years, they become fossil fuels due to thigh pressure and other physical  and chemical changes.

5. CARBON RETURNS TO THE ATMOSPHERE:

CO2 is regularly being returned to the atmosphere by the process of respiration in plants and animals. Other examples of carbon dioxide: burning of wood, fossil fuels in industries and automobiles.    

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_14

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetravalence

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_cycle

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/the-carbon-cycle-steps.html