KS3 Carbon Cycle Homework Worksheet / Worksheet - Twinkl - Free Printable

It looks like you've uploaded an image of a worksheet titled "The Carbon Cycle" from a resource called *Beyond Science*. The task involves completing the diagram of the carbon cycle by:

1. Filling in the boxes with information about where carbon is stored.
2. Labeling the arrows with the processes involved (e.g., photosynthesis, respiration, etc.).

Let’s go through this step-by-step to solve the problem.

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🔹 Step 1: Understand the Diagram

The diagram shows a simplified version of the carbon cycle, with key components:

- Atmosphere: Contains carbon dioxide (CO₂).
- Producers: Plants (green grass), which absorb CO₂.
- Consumers: Rabbit and fox (animals that consume plants or other animals).
- Decomposers: Represented by bacteria/fungi (breaking down dead organisms).
- Fossil fuels: Shown as coal/rock-like material.
- Oceans: Represented by water droplet (carbon dissolved in water).

Arrows show movement of carbon between these reservoirs.

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🔹 Step 2: Complete the Boxes (Where Carbon is Stored)

We need to fill in the blank boxes based on the list provided:

> "Complete the boxes with the information below to show where carbon is stored:"
>
> - carbon dioxide (CO₂)
> - carbon compounds in producers
> - carbon compounds in consumers
> - CO₂ dissolved in water
> - carbon compounds in waste products and dead remains
> - carbon compounds in fossil fuels
> - carbon compounds in decomposers

Now let's assign each to the correct box:

#### ✔ Box 1: Above the grass (producers)
→ Carbon compounds in producers

#### ✔ Box 2: Above the rabbit and fox (consumers)
→ Carbon compounds in consumers

#### ✔ Box 3: Below the grass (roots or soil?)
→ Likely carbon compounds in waste products and dead remains
(Or possibly carbon compounds in decomposers, but more likely this is for dead matter.)

Wait — there are three bottom boxes:

- One under the grass → carbon compounds in waste products and dead remains
- One under the rabbit and fox → same
- One under the fossil fuels → carbon compounds in fossil fuels
- One under the ocean droplet → CO₂ dissolved in water
- One under the decomposer pile → carbon compounds in decomposers

But visually, it seems:

- Left box (under water droplet): CO₂ dissolved in water
- Middle box (under dead organisms): carbon compounds in waste products and dead remains
- Right box (under fossil fuel): carbon compounds in fossil fuels
- Bottom center (decomposers): carbon compounds in decomposers

So the boxes should be labeled as:

| Box Location | Label |
|--------------|-------|
| Above atmosphere | carbon dioxide (CO₂) |
| Above grass | carbon compounds in producers |
| Above rabbit & fox | carbon compounds in consumers |
| Under water droplet | CO₂ dissolved in water |
| Under dead matter (leaves, animal carcass) | carbon compounds in waste products and dead remains |
| Under fossil fuel pile | carbon compounds in fossil fuels |
| Under decomposer pile | carbon compounds in decomposers |

✔ So all seven storage locations are accounted for.

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🔹 Step 3: Label the Arrows with Processes

We are given these processes:

- Combustion
- Death
- Decomposition
- Feeding
- Formation of fossil fuels
- Photosynthesis
- Respiration
- Migration

Now label the arrows accordingly.

Let’s trace each arrow:

#### 🔹 Arrow 1: From atmosphere → grass
→ Photosynthesis
Plants take in CO₂ from the air to make glucose.

#### 🔹 Arrow 2: From grass → rabbit
→ Feeding
Rabbit eats plant.

#### 🔹 Arrow 3: From rabbit → fox
→ Feeding
Fox eats rabbit.

#### 🔹 Arrow 4: From grass → dead remains
→ Death
Plant dies.

#### 🔹 Arrow 5: From rabbit → dead remains
→ Death
Animal dies.

#### 🔹 Arrow 6: From dead remains → decomposers
→ Decomposition
Decomposers break down dead matter.

#### 🔹 Arrow 7: From decomposers → atmosphere
→ Respiration
Decomposers release CO₂ during respiration.

#### 🔹 Arrow 8: From grass → atmosphere
→ Respiration
Plants respire and release CO₂.

#### 🔹 Arrow 9: From rabbit → atmosphere
→ Respiration
Animals respire and release CO₂.

#### 🔹 Arrow 10: From fox → atmosphere
→ Respiration
Same as above.

#### 🔹 Arrow 11: From dead remains → fossil fuels
→ Formation of fossil fuels
Over millions of years, dead matter turns into coal, oil, etc.

#### 🔹 Arrow 12: From fossil fuels → atmosphere
→ Combustion
Burning fossil fuels releases CO₂.

#### 🔹 Arrow 13: From atmosphere → water
→ Dissolution
CO₂ dissolves in oceans.

#### 🔹 Arrow 14: From water → atmosphere
→ Diffusion / Exchange
CO₂ moves back and forth.

But wait — the list includes migration, which doesn't fit well here.

👉 Migration is not a major process in the carbon cycle. It might be a distractor or mislabeled. In reality, migration does not directly transfer carbon; it just moves organisms around. So probably not used.

So we use:
- Photosynthesis
- Feeding
- Death
- Decomposition
- Respiration
- Formation of fossil fuels
- Combustion

And possibly diffusion or exchange for ocean-atmosphere.

But since “atmospheric-ocean exchange” is already labeled, maybe that’s a clue.

So the arrows can be labeled as:

| Arrow | Process |
|------|--------|
| Atmosphere → Grass | Photosynthesis |
| Grass → Rabbit | Feeding |
| Rabbit → Fox | Feeding |
| Grass → Dead remains | Death |
| Rabbit → Dead remains | Death |
| Dead remains → Decomposers | Decomposition |
| Decomposers → Atmosphere | Respiration |
| Grass → Atmosphere | Respiration |
| Rabbit → Atmosphere | Respiration |
| Fox → Atmosphere | Respiration |
| Dead remains → Fossil fuels | Formation of fossil fuels |
| Fossil fuels → Atmosphere | Combustion |
| Atmosphere → Water | Dissolution (or part of atmospheric-ocean exchange) |
| Water → Atmosphere | Exchange (same) |

Note: The atmospheric-ocean exchange is already labeled at the top, so the arrows to/from water are part of that.

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✔ Final Answer Summary

#### 🟦 Boxes (Storage Locations):
1. Above atmosphere → carbon dioxide (CO₂)
2. Above grass → carbon compounds in producers
3. Above rabbit & fox → carbon compounds in consumers
4. Under water droplet → CO₂ dissolved in water
5. Under dead remains → carbon compounds in waste products and dead remains
6. Under fossil fuels → carbon compounds in fossil fuels
7. Under decomposers → carbon compounds in decomposers

#### 🟨 Arrows (Processes):
- Atmosphere → Grass: Photosynthesis
- Grass → Rabbit: Feeding
- Rabbit → Fox: Feeding
- Grass → Dead remains: Death
- Rabbit → Dead remains: Death
- Dead remains → Decomposers: Decomposition
- Decomposers → Atmosphere: Respiration
- Grass → Atmosphere: Respiration
- Rabbit → Atmosphere: Respiration
- Fox → Atmosphere: Respiration
- Dead remains → Fossil fuels: Formation of fossil fuels
- Fossil fuels → Atmosphere: Combustion
- Atmosphere ↔ Water: Atmospheric-ocean exchange (already labeled)

> ⚠️ Note: "Migration" is not used — it's not a carbon transfer process.

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📌 Conclusion

You’ve now completed the carbon cycle diagram by:
- Identifying where carbon is stored in different reservoirs.
- Labeling how carbon moves between them using biological and geological processes.

This illustrates how carbon cycles through the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

Let me know if you'd like a printable version or a visual guide!