IGCSE CHEMISTRY

PREPARED BY MR DANIEL


LESSON 2
Learning outcomes
Describe and explain the carbon cycle to include the
processes of photosynthesis, combustion, and
respiration
Write the complete word equations for photosynthesis,
complete combustion of air, and respiration.
State CO
2
and CH
4
as greenhouse gases and explain
how they contribute to climate change
State the formation of CO
2
as a product of complete
combustion, respiration, decay, decomposition of
carbonates, and as a product of acidic reaction with
carbonates(as in limestones)


Lesson 2:
Carbon Cycle
Keywords:
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
DISSOLVING
RESPIRATION
DECAY/DECOMPOSITION
COMBUSTION
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
B2b Topic 3: Energy Flow
Lesson Objectives:
Describe carbon cycle by producing a poster of the carbon
cycle using the keywords
Photosynthesis and what affects the rate
The carbon cycle
Climate change
Food production
Lesson 2:
Carbon Cycle
Keywords:
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
DISSOLVING
RESPIRATION
DECAY/DECOMPOSITION
COMBUSTION
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
A 4000 year old corpse
preserved in ice.

Why hasnt it
decomposed?
Why is carbon important?
Carbon is the main constituent of all living
cells (biochemistry, organic chemistry)
Carbon can form long chained-molecules
which are the basis for fats,
carbohydrates, nucleic acids (DNA and
RNA) and proteins.
Component of fuel (coal and gas)
Use in nanotubes for computers



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Thornes Ltd 2006 11
Respiration,
burning and decay
Excrement and
death
Decay (micro-
organisms and
bacteria)
Respiration
The Carbon Cycle
Plants take in CO
2
because they need carbon
and oxygen to use in
Through photosynthesis plants make
and other substances
e.g. protein
When animals eat plants they use some of
the carbon containing compounds to grow
Some carbon-containing compounds are
used to release energy by
photosynthesis
glucose (carbohydrate)
respiration.
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SUCCESS CRITERIA
REMEMBER THAT
CARBON CYCLE INVOLVES MANY
PROCESES.
TWO WAYS CARBON DIOXIDE LEAVES
ATMOSPHERE
FOUR WAYS CARBON DIOXIDE ENTERS
THE ATMOSPHERE
MAIN
Complete worksheet 1 and 2 on water and
carbon cycle.
The carbon cycle
True or false?
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Green plants use carbon
dioxide in photosynthesis.
True
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Combustion removes carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere
False combustion releases carbon
dioxide gas
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The largest store of carbon is
the atmosphere
False more is found in marine
organisms and limestone rock deposits
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Respiration adds carbon dioxide
to the atmosphere
True
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Respiration only occurs in
animals
False both animals and plants respire
Decomposers remove carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere
False they respire and release carbon
dioxide
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Fossil fuels represent a huge
(but decreasing) store of
carbon
True
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Thornes Ltd 2006 27
Increasing carbon dioxide may
cause global cooling
False scientists think it will cause global
warming
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Energy is transferred from
plants to animals to
decomposers
True
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Thornes Ltd 2006 29
Respiration releases energy
to the environment in the form
of heat
True

To be able to describe the carbon
cycle and the processes related to it.
To be able to describe the effect of
human activities and global warming.

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.

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.
Key word bingo
respiration
photosynthesis
decay
burning
potato
combustion
deforestation
dissolved
Light
intensity
trees
chloroplasts
glucose
xylem
leaf