Transcript THE OXYGEN CYCLE

THE OXYGEN CYCLE
By: Megan Reed, Annabel Lee, Brad
Kim, and Dahlia Hage
Oxygen
• Oxygen, one of the main components
of the Earth’s atmosphere, can always
be found with other elements.
• Two oxygen atoms make up one
oxygen molecule, and three oxygen
atoms together make up the molecule
called ozone.
Oxygen
• As a gas, oxygen is odorless, colorless,
and highly reactive.
• Oxygen is essential for the survival of
many organisms, and, in the ozone,
provides protection to life by filtering
out the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
What is the Oxygen Cycle?
• In the oxygen cycle, oxygen atoms
present in the earth circulate through a
series of intricate processes.
• Like the nitrogen, carbon, and water
cycles, the oxygen cycle is a
biogeochemical cycle.
• A biogeochemical cycle is the
movement of matter through the biotic
and the abiotic spheres of the
ecosystem.
How do plants contribute?
• The oxygen cycle begins with plants
and photosynthesis.
• Through photosynthesis, plants convert
the energy from the sun and water into
carbohydrates and oxygen.
• During the day: plants convert carbon
dioxide into oxygen.
• During the night: plants convert
oxygen into carbon dioxide to maintain
their metabolism.
How does water contribute?
• Oxygen in water is known as dissolved
oxygen. When water runs over rocks,
oxygen enters and creates a lot of high
surface area which allows oxygen to
transfer from the air into the water very
quickly.
How do living organisms
contribute?
• Humans and animals breathe in oxygen
and breathe out carbon dioxide through
their processes of metabolism, sparking
the process of photosynthesis, once
again linking back to the plants’
contribution to the oxygen cycle.
The Three Main Reservoirs
The three reservoirs are the locations
in which oxygen is found.
• Biosphere (living things)
• Lithosphere (Earth’s crust)
• Atmosphere (air)
Biosphere and Atmosphere
• Within the biosphere and atmosphere,
plants begin the oxygen cycle and
animals continue it.
• Photolysis also donates to a large
portion of the oxygen in the
atmosphere, where high energy
ultraviolet radiation breaks down the
atmospheric water and nitrate.
Biosphere and Atmosphere
• Much of the oxygen present in the
atmosphere is used during respiration
and decay mechanisms, where animal
life and bacteria consume oxygen and
release carbon dioxide.
• Oxygen is also cycled between the
biosphere and lithosphere.
Maintaining the Oxygen Cycle
• There has been speculation by scientific experts
that the oxygen cycle may be disturbed, and
there may come a time when the amount of
carbon dioxide is very large and there are too
few plants to covert it into Oxygen
• It is imperative that we reduce pollution and
protect our environment in order to maintain a
well functioning oxygen cycle.
Works Cited
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
http://water.me.vccs.edu/concepts/oxcycle.jpg
Morris, R.M., OXYSPHERE - A Beginners' Guide to the Biogeochemical
Cycling of Atmospheric Oxygen,
http://seis.natsci.csulb.edu/rmorris/oxy/Oxy.htm
Fasullo, J., Substitute Lectures for ATOC 3600: Principles of Climate,
Lectures on the global oxygen cycle,
http://paos.colorado.edu/~fasullo/pjw_class/oxygencycle.html
http://www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Oxygen_Cycle
http://www.fossweb.com/resources/pictures/488256817.gif
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/dynamic/session1/images_sess1/4sp
heres.jpg
http://people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8en/img/biosphere.gif
http://water.me.vccs.edu/concepts/oxcycle.jpg
http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/989/50116263.JPG