Carbon Cycle Vocabulary

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Biomass

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The total amount of living material in an area, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. Biomass stores energy and carbon from the atmosphere and serves as food in ecosystems.

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Carbon

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An element found in all living things and a key part of life on Earth. Carbon moves through the air, water, soil, and living things in the carbon cycle.

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Oxygen

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A gas in the air that living things need to survive. Plants release oxygen during photosynthesis, and animals use it during cellular respiration.

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Carbon Cycle

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The way carbon moves through Earth's systems—air, water, land, and living things. It includes processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.

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Photosynthesis

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Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy. A process in plants where they use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their food (glucose) and release oxygen into the air.

Equation: Carbon dioxide (CO₂) + Water (H₂O) + Sunlight → Glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) + Oxygen (O₂).

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Cellular Respiration

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The process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food. It is a process in living organisms where glucose and oxygen are used to release energy (ATP) for the organism. This process also produces carbon dioxide and water as waste.

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Glucose

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C₆H₁₂O₆

A simple sugar that is an important source of energy. Plants make this in the process of photosynthesis.

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ATP

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(Adenosine Triphosphate) is the main energy source that cells use for most of their work.

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Reactants

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A starting material in a chemical reaction.

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Products

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The substances that are formed by the chemical change in a chemical reaction or equation.