Chapter 8 Section 4 Vocab, Summary, and Concept Check

Vocabulary

carbon cycle: process by which carbon moves from inorganic to organic compounds and back
greenhouse effect: process by which atmospheric gases trap heat close to Earth's surface and prevent it from escaping into space


Summary

-Some of the processes that occur on a global scale on Earth depend on the metabolism of tiny chloroplasts and mitochondria
-Consumers such as a Cape buffalo obtain the organic compounds by eating the producers
-Cellular respiration by both producers and consumers returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
-Key element of the carbon cycle is carbon dioxide
-Plants use carbon dioxide to make sugars in photosynthesis, and most organisms give off carbon dioxide as waste from cellular respiration
-Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere also traps heat from the sun that would otherwise escape from Earth back into space


Concept Check 8.4

1. Give an example of carbon moving from an inorganic compound to an organic compound in the carbon cycle. Give an example of carbon moving from an organic to an inorganic compound.
Throughout the photosynthesis, the producer, such as plants converts inorganic compound to an organic compound. Then, when rabbit comes along and eats the grass, then the carbon would move from an organic to an inorganic compound.

2. How is carbon dioxide important to Earth's climate?
Carbon dioxide is a key element of the carbon cycle. Plus, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere traps heat from the sun and keep the Earth warm. If it wasn’t carbon dioxide, Earth would be really cold.