Question

carbon cycle: through living and nonliving parts of the environment. drag and drop the carbon cycle process to identify whether carbon is released to the environment (as shown from the atmosphere).
drag & drop the answer
⚙decomposition
⚙combustion
⚙cellular respiration
⚙photosynthesis
carbon cycle
process
releases carbon
absorbs carbon

Explanation:

• Decomposition: When organisms die, decomposers break down their organic matter. This process releases carbon back into the environment (e.g., as \(CO_2\) during microbial respiration or as other carbon - containing compounds in the soil).
• Combustion: Burning of fossil fuels (like coal, oil, and gas) or biomass (such as wood) releases carbon that was stored (in the form of carbon - based molecules in the fuel) as \(CO_2\) into the atmosphere.
• Cellular Respiration: All living organisms (plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms) carry out cellular respiration. The chemical reaction is \(C_6H_{12}O_6+6O_2

ightarrow6CO_2 + 6H_2O+\text{energy}\). So, it releases carbon (in the form of \(CO_2\)) that was part of organic molecules (like glucose) back to the environment.

• Photosynthesis: Plants (and some other organisms like algae) use sunlight, \(CO_2\), and water to produce glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen. The chemical reaction is \(6CO_2+6H_2O

ightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2\). Here, plants absorb \(CO_2\) (carbon) from the atmosphere and convert it into organic carbon compounds.

Answer:

• Releases Carbon: Decomposition, Combustion, Cellular Respiration
• Absorbs Carbon: Photosynthesis