Carbon Cycle: Definition, Process, Functioning and Importance in Life

Carbon cycle mainly works on balancing carbon in the atmosphere. It plays a crucial role in making earth capable of sustaining life. Carbon is one the most important elements found in almost all living and non-living things on earth. It is essential for the photosynthesis in plants that is the main source of food and energy on earth. The carbon keeps on circulating on earth from one source to another in a cycle. For example, the carbon stored by trees as biomass gets released into the atmosphere when it sheds leaves or decomposes. This rotation of carbon on earth is called the carbon cycle. Let’s learn some interesting facts about the carbon cycle, its functioning, uses and importance in our environment.

Table of Contents

• What is Carbon Cycle
• How does Carbon Cycle Work
• Importance of Carbon Cycle
• How much Carbon in Human Body

What is Carbon Cycle

Carbon cycle can be defined as the process by which the carbon atoms keep rotating between different things on the earth. There are organic and inorganic carbon reservoirs that store the carbon such as plants, soil, microbes, rocks, water and so on. These sources of carbon keep it rotating from among each other in a cycle through different processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition and combustion. In the next section, we will understand each of these processes in detail.

How does Carbon Cycle Work

The carbon cycle that moves carbon between the atmosphere and living organisms is called a biological carbon cycle. The main processes involved in this type of carbon cycle are: photosynthesis, decomposition and respiration. Here is a step-by-step explanation of how carbon cycle works:

• The carbon in the atmosphere is absorbed by trees and plants through the photosynthesis process. 
• These plants are consumed by other living organisms such as cows, sheep, goats and other animals that get accumulated into their bodies. The carbon also moves through the food chain when these animals are consumed by other carnivores. 
• When these animals die their bodies are decomposed to release the carbon back into the atmosphere. So, decomposition is an important process that releases carbon back into the atmosphere.

Some of the carbon that doesn’t release during decomposition gets stored into soil and rocks to make fossil fuels. The fossil fuels are then used by humans and the carbon in them releases back into the atmosphere as part of the combustion process. When plants and animals breathe carbon dioxide is released. So, respiration is also an important process through which carbon is released into the atmosphere.

Importance of Carbon Cycle

There are many important roles that the carbon cycle plays in our environment from sustaining life to regulating climate. It is crucial for many reasons 

Climate Regulation: Understanding and tracking carbon is important for studying global warming and climate change. The carbon cycle helps in giving a clear picture of how the climate is getting affected and how we can take preventive measures to regulate its impact.

Sustaining Life: Carbon is essential for the existence of plants and for circulating energy within the food chain. Carbon cycle ensures that it gets circulated within earth 's atmosphere from one source to another supporting transfer of energy within the food chain. 

Fuels our Economy: Coal, petroleum, LPG and other carbon fuels power around 80% of the world’s energy. The vital role of carbon fuels in industries, manufacturing and logistics make it an important contributor in our economy.

How much Carbon in Human Body

Carbon is an integral part of every living being. From proteins, to lipids and even DNA, carbon is present in our bodies. It constitutes around 18% of our total body weight. Carbon is able to form the complex molecular structures required for complex chemistry that life requires and is among the top five elements present in the human body along with oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and calcium.