Download Name: ______________ Period: ____ Date: _____ Carbon Cycle

Name: ________________________
Period: ____ Date: _____
Carbon Cycle Card Activity
Background Information: Carbon dioxide is naturally exchanged between the atmosphere, life on
land, and in the oceans through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. Reservoirs,
aka, “sinks” are places that store something, and in the case of the carbon cycle, the sinks
store carbon dioxide. Sources release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Over long periods
of time, the flow of carbon dioxide into and out of the atmosphere naturally balances. In the
past, the number of carbon sources and reservoirs used to be roughly equal. Since the
Industrial Revolution and the increased burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas),
humans are releasing carbon dioxide so fast that it is accumulating in the atmosphere (sources
are overwhelming reservoirs.)

With your table group, place the name of each picture in either Source or “Sinks”
Source
“Sinks” (Reserviors)
Turn the cards over and read the back. Discuss the cards you filed incorrectly with your group,
and update your table to reflect the correct responses.
1. Count the cards in each group. Which group has more, sources or reservoirs (sinks)?
________________________________________________________________
2. Of the cards, which ones are human activities? _______________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Of the cards, which ones are natural activities? _______________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Which natural processes release carbon dioxide (sources)? ______________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Which natural processes absorb carbon dioxide (sinks)? ________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. For human (anthropogenic) sources, which ones involve burning of fossil fuels? ________
__________________________________________________________________
7. If sources release carbon dioxide faster than the natural process can cycle it, what
would you expect to happen in the system? __________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. With your group, brainstorm two ways humans might reduce their emissions of carbon
dioxide.
1. ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
CO2 in
atmosphere
CO2 in
ocean
Get rid of arrows and have
students place the arrows.