The Carbon Cycle explains the process through which the element named carbon is transformed and circulated in the earth's ecosystem by living organisms.
The element carbon is found in various forms and places in the earth's ecosystem. Carbon is found in the earth as limestone, dolomite and other types of deposits used for the production of fossil fuels. These other deposits include, coal, oil and gas all of which were the remains of several living organisms that have been compressed in layers in the earth.
In the atmosphere, it exists is the form of a gas identified as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). This colorless, odorless gas, is used by plants to aid them in their growth process commonly called photosynthesis. A by product of photosynthesis is oxygen, a gas that human beings, mammals, birds, fish and other living organisms need to survive.
Human beings and animals in general get carbon through consuming other organisms such as plants and release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere through respiration.
The cycle becomes complete with the death, decomposition and compression of the living organisms into new deposits.
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