The Carbon Cycle — Interactive Diagram
See how carbon moves between the air, plants, animals and the ground — and why burning fuels upsets the balance.
TL;DR: See how carbon moves between the air, plants, animals and the ground — and why burning fuels upsets the balance.
Written & reviewed by the Syllab.in Academic Team (CBSE/NCERT subject experts) · Updated
The Carbon Cycle: See how carbon moves between the air, plants, animals and the ground — and why burning fuels upsets the balance.
Why it matters: The carbon cycle links photosynthesis, respiration and combustion — and explains the greenhouse effect and climate change.
The Carbon Cycle — Step by Step
- Plants take in CARBON DIOXIDE (CO₂) from the air during photosynthesis and lock the carbon into food and wood.
- Animals eat plants and RESPIRE, releasing CO₂ back into the air. Decomposers do the same when things die.
- Dead plants buried for millions of years become COAL, OIL and GAS. Burning these fossil fuels adds extra CO₂ — driving global warming.
Quick Notes — the Exam Crux
- Carbon is stored in the air (as CO₂), in living things, in fossil fuels and in the oceans.
- Photosynthesis removes CO₂ from the air and locks carbon into plant food.
- Respiration (by plants and animals) releases CO₂ back into the air.
- Decomposition and combustion (burning wood or fossil fuels) also release CO₂.
- Over millions of years, dead matter forms coal, oil and natural gas (fossil fuels).
- Burning fossil fuels adds extra CO₂, strengthening the greenhouse effect.
Remember It (Memory Trick)
Carbon moves in a loop: photosynthesis takes CO₂ IN, respiration and combustion put CO₂ OUT. "Plants breathe it in, burning breathes it out."
Real-Life Example
Every time a bus burns diesel or you light a gas stove, carbon locked in the fuel is released as CO₂ — the same CO₂ a nearby tree pulls back in to make its food.
Test Yourself
Which process removes CO₂ from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis.
Name two processes that release CO₂ back into the air.
Respiration and combustion (burning); decomposition also releases CO₂.
How does burning fossil fuels affect the carbon cycle?
It releases stored carbon as extra CO₂, raising atmospheric CO₂ and enhancing the greenhouse effect.
📖 Read the full explanation of The Carbon Cycle →
More Visual Lessons
- Photosynthesis
- The Human Heart & Blood Flow
- The Digestive System
- The Respiratory System
- Plant Cell vs Animal Cell
- Food Chain & Energy Flow
🤖 Stuck on any of these? Ask Syllab's free AI Tutor to explain step by step →