Carbon Cycle Unit Test - Agriscience
Name:
Hour
Date Assignment is due: end of class
Day of Week
Date:
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Date
If your project was late, describe why
1. Which of the following contains carbon?
a. Plants
b. Animals
c. Air
d. All of the above contain carbon
2. Which of the following DOES NOT contain carbon
a. Plants
b. Animals
c. Air
d. All of the above contain carbon
3. Plants consume most of their carbon from…
a. The air
b. The soil
c. The water
d. None of the above
4. When a human or animal consumes food, the carbon in that food is most likely to be converted into which of
the following elements?
a. Oxygen
b. Hydrogen
c. Nitrogen
d. None of the above; the carbon will remain carbon
5. Which of the following consumes carbon dioxide (CO2)?
a. Plants
b. Animals
c. Decomposers
d. All of the above
6. Which of the following produces carbon dioxide (CO2)?
a. Plants
b. Animals
c. Decomposers
d. All of the above
7. When a log is thrown on a fire it seems to lose weight; what happens to its physical mass?
a. It disappears
b. It is released into the air
c. It becomes energy
d. The log does not change weight or size
8. From where does a log primarily obtain its physical mass when it is growing?
a. From the soil
b. From the water
c. From the air
d. From the seed
9. The Carbon Cycle is best defined as the process in which…
a. Carbon changes from inorganic forms to organic forms and back
b. Carbon is changed into other elements, including oxygen and hydrogen
c. Carbon is consumed and regenerated from other elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen
d. Carbon is continually created from the sun’s energy by living organisms
10. Organisms such as fungi and microbes that are decomposers will affect the carbon cycle by…
a. Consuming carbon, reducing the total amount of carbon that exists in the cycle
b. Releasing CO2 into the atmosphere, increasing atmospheric levels of carbon
c. Creating carbon from other atomic elements (such as oxygen)
d. None of the above; decomposers do not affect the carbon cycle
11. Photosynthesizing plants affect the carbon cycle by…
a. Creating more carbon atoms
b. Reducing the amount of carbon in the soil, reducing soil fertility
c. Absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, lowering atmospheric levels of carbon
d. None of the above; plants to do not affect the carbon cycle
12. Animals affect the carbon cycle by…
a. Creating more carbon atoms through cell division
b. Releasing CO2 into the atmosphere, increasing atmospheric levels of carbon
c. Consuming carbon, reducing the total amount of carbon that exists in the cycle
d. None of the above; animals do not affect the carbon cycle
13. The burning of coal and oil for energy affects the carbon cycle in what way?
a. It increases the amount of carbon in existence
b. It decreases the amount of carbon in existence
c. It increases the amount of atmospheric carbon
d. It does not affect the carbon cycle
14. Replacing oil and coal with plant-matter as a source of energy would
atmosphere
a. Increase b. Decrease c. Not affect
the amount of carbon in the
Use the image above to answer the questions below
15. Look at “1”. What process is occurring here?
a. Photosynthesis b. Respiration c. Decomposition
d. Burning
16. At “1”, what is occurring?
a. H2O and CO2 is being converted into organic C6H12O6.
b. C6H12O6 is being broken down into H2O and inorganic CO2
c. C6H12O6 remains in its organic form
d. C6H12O6 is being created from the energy of the sun
17. Look at “2”. What process is occurring here?
a. Photosynthesis b. Respiration c. Decomposition
d. Burning
18. At “2”, what is occurring?
a. H2O and CO2 is being converted into organic C6H12O6.
b. C6H12O6 is being broken down into H2O and inorganic CO2
c. C6H12O6 remains in its organic form
d. C6H12O6 is being created from the energy of the sun
19. What form of carbon are we most likely to find at “3”?
a. C6H12O6
b. CO2
c. CH4
d. Living Tissue
20. Look at “4”. What process is occurring here?
a. Photosynthesis b. Respiration c. Decomposition
d. Burning
21. ESSAY: Choose one of the following to respond to.
Option A: Assume the role of a farmer and design a soil management technique to maximize carbon
sequestration and minimize the production of CO2. Then explain why you think this practice will work. Finally,
describe how it will change what farmers do in addition to growing food (i.e. what other benefits can farming
provide besides food production and why is this good?).
Option B: According to an article by Ted Schuur at the University of Florida, researchers are investigating
whether or not climate change could alter the natural cycling of carbon around the world. In the article, Schuur
mentions permafrost in the artic, where twice as much carbon is stored in the soil as compared to the
atmosphere. Why would these northern frozen soils contain such large amounts of carbon? Why would we be
concerned if these soils began to warm up? What might happen if permafrost is no longer permanently frozen?
Option C: Reflect back on the Bucket Gassers experiment. Rank the measured sites in order from greatest CO2
produced to lowest. Beside each site, provide an explanation as to why each site had a high or low production of
CO2. Then design a method that would lower the CO2 production of each site if applied. Conclude by explaining
why you think your method will work.
Option chosen (circle) A B C
Attach an additional sheet if needed.