British Sign Language Glossaries of Curriculum Terms

BSL Environmental Science Glossary - Carbon cycle definition

Definition: The carbon cycle is how carbon moves through the atmosphere, through water and through the land. For example when we see smoke coming out of factory chimneys that smoke contains carbon which is being released into the atmosphere. As trees and plants grow they absorb CO₂ (which contains carbon) from the atmosphere and use it, through photosynthesis, to make their own food. Humans and animals then eat plants and the carbon is then taken into our bodies. When we die our bodies decay and return to the soil. Who knows, maybe in a few million years our bodies will be the fossil fuel that they burn in factories and the carbon will again be released into the atmosphere continuing the cycle! When humans, animals (and plants) breathe we're releasing CO₂ into the atmosphere. Water absorbs CO₂ - the carbon cycle describes the continual movement of carbon around us.