What is the Carbon Cycle?

The carbon cycle describes the movement of carbon

through the environment. Carbon exists in the ground, in
the sea, in plants and animals, and in the air. Carbon
moves through the processes shown in the picture below.

How does the Carbon Cycle work?

The natural processes shown in the picture above can

release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
(shown by red arrows) by combustion, decay and respiration,
or
remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (shown by blue
arrows)
by dissolving in the sea (see below) and by photosynthesis,
or
"lock up" carbon in the ground (shown by green arrows)
as a fossil fuel or by forming carbonate rocks.

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere dissolves in rain water,

forming carbonic acid (H2CO3(aq)).
H2O(l) + CO2(g) H+(aq) + HCO3-(aq)

This makes rain water naturally acidic (pH = 5.5).

This acidic rain water will react with carbonates in rocks.

Rain water containing dissolved carbon dioxide

finds its way into the sea (see the water cycle).
Carbon dioxide also dissolves directly into the
surface of the sea. The huge oceans are an important
gas reservoir for carbon dioxide (they store it).

Chalk and limestone release carbon dioxide into

the atmosphere when they react with acid rain.
If chalk or limestone are forced down into magma
and heated, then carrbon dioxide may be
released into the atmosphere from volcanoes.

The burning of fossil fuels is increasing the amount

of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere faster than nature
can remove it. Deforestation (cutting down forests) is
making this worse, as it reduces the removal of
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by photosynthesis.

See also global warming and greenhouse gases.

What is the Nitrogen Cycle?

The nitrogen cycle describes the movement of nitrogen

through the environment. Nitrogen exists in the soil,
in plants and animals, and in the air. Nitrogen moves
through the processes shown in the picture below.
How does the Nitrogen Cycle work?

Although nitrogen gas (N2) makes up 78% of the air, plants can
not use it for growth unless it is turned into nitrate (NO3) in the
soil.

Making nitrogen in the atmosphere into nitrate in the soil is

called fixing. Nitrogen fixing occurs naturally in four ways.
Nitrogen fixing also occurs with the Haber process - see below.

1. Nitrogen fixing bacteria

in the soil turn nitrogen in the soil into nitrate.

2. Nitrogen fixing bacteria on some plant root nodules

turn nitrogen into nitrate. Plants that have these
kinds of root nodules include peas, beans and clover.

3. Compounds containing ammonia occur in

animal excretion and in dead animals. The ammonia turns
into nitrite and there are nitrifying bacteria in the soil that turn
nitrite (NO2) into nitrate (NO3). They are called nitrifying
bacteria because they increase the amount of nitrate in the soil.

4. Lightning can cause chemical reactions in the atmosphere

that make nitrogen react with oxygen producing nitrous oxides.
Nitrous oxides are also made from petrol engine pollution.
The nitrous oxides can react with more oxygen and dissolve in
rain water to make dilute nitric acid (HNO3(aq)) (see acid rain).
HNO3 contains nitrate and so rain water
containing HNO3 increases the amount of nitrate in the soil.

Most of the fixing of nitrogen occurs through the

natural processes described above. The Haber process for
making fertilisers accounts for about 30% of nitrogen fixing.
Nitrate in the soil is essential for plant growth.

There are denitrifying bacteria in the soil that turn

nitrate (NO3) into nitrogen gas (N2) and the nitrogen gas
goes back into the atmosphere. They are called
denitrifying bacteria because they decrease
the amount of nitrate in the soil. Compare this with
the nitrifying bacteria described above at number 3.

What is the Water Cycle?

The water cycle describes the movement of water

through the environment. Water evaporates from the
surface of the sea and moves up into the atmosphere.
Water leaves the atmosphere and falls back into
the sea or falls on to land where some water flows back
into the sea as a river as shown in the picture below.
Some water remains on land either in lakes or reservoirs
or the water becomes frozen and exists as ice or snow.

How does the Water Cycle work?

The water cycle works because of heat from the Sun.

Water evaporates from the surface of the sea as warm air
moves across it. Secondary sources (less important)
of water vapour in the air are volcanoes and animal respiration.
Water vapour in the air condenses into small droplets,
and these droplets form clouds. Water falls from the clouds
onto land, as rain or snow. This is called precipitation.
Water on the land collects in streams, rivers and lakes,
and flows back to the sea, completing the cycle.