Questions: Students are creating a model to show how plants and animals are involved in carbon cycling. What is the role of each component in the carbon cycle? Move the correct answer to the box to show how carbon moves between systems.

Solution Steps

The diagram shows the flow of substances between a plant or animal, a plant, and the air. The arrows indicate the direction of the flow. The plant or animal releases something into the air, and the plant takes something from the air. The plant also releases something into the air.

Plants take in carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis and produce oxygen. Animals and plants release carbon dioxide into the air during respiration. Plants store carbon in glucose, the product of photosynthesis. Animals and plants break down glucose with water to obtain energy.

• Plant or animal: The diagram shows an arrow going from the "Plant or animal" box to the "Air" box. Animals and plants produce carbon dioxide during respiration. Thus, "Plant or animal" is a "carbon dioxide source," "produces carbon dioxide", and "breaks down glucose with water."

• Air: The diagram shows an arrow going from the "Air" box to the "Plant" box, and an arrow going from the "Plant or animal" box to the "Air" box. Plants take in carbon dioxide from the air, and animals and plants release carbon dioxide into the air. Also, the "Plant" box has an arrow pointing to "Air", implying the release of oxygen into the atmosphere by plants. Thus, "Air" is an "oxygen source" and a "carbon dioxide source".

• Plant: The diagram shows an arrow going from the "Plant" box to the "Air" box. Plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis, and they store carbon as glucose. Thus, "Plant" "produces oxygen" and "stores carbon in glucose".

Final Answer