Carbon Cycle Analysis Lab Report for Earth Science Assignment

This lab report, an Earth Science assignment, analyzes the carbon cycle and carbon dioxide levels. The report addresses the percentage increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere between 2015 and 2019, and between 1960 and 2015. It explains the annual fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels, linking them to human activities and natural processes like deforestation, car manufacturing, and respiration. The report uses data from the NOAA website to compare current carbon dioxide levels with historical peaks. Finally, it constructs a model of the carbon cycle to explain the ongoing increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, highlighting the impact of fossil fuel combustion, respiration, and deforestation on carbon emissions. References from Climate Science Investigations and Earth Systems Global Monitoring Laboratory are included.

Earth Science | Graded Assignment | Lab Report: Carbon Cycle Analysis
Name: Date:
Graded Assignment
Lab Report: Carbon Cycle Analysis
Answer the questions below. When you are finished, submit this assignment to your teacher by the due
date for full credit.
Total score: ____ of 27 points
(Score for Question 1: ___ of 5 points)
1. What is the percent increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere between 2015 and 2019? Between
1960 and 2015?
Answer:
Percentage Increase between 2015 and 2019
409.67−399.4
399.4 × 100=2.57 %
Percentage Increase between 1960 and 2015
399.4−317
317 ×100=25.99 %
(Score for Question 2: ___ of 5 points)
2. Explain the fluctuation in the carbon dioxide levels each year.
Answer:
The fluctuation of carbon dioxide levels each year is as a result of the variation of the human activities
and other natural processes that emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere across the years. Cars emit
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Each year there is a variation in the number of cars being
manufactured. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while human activities such as
deforestation vary from one year to another, so does fluctuation in carbon dioxide levels occur. Other
natural processes that cause fluctuation of carbon dioxide levels over years include weathering, burning
of fossil fuels and forest fires. Whenever more of these processes occur in fluctuating manners, so does
carbon levels fluctuate from one year to another.
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Earth Science | Graded Assignment | Lab Report: Carbon Cycle Analysis
(Score for Question 3: ___ of 5 points)
3. Go to the NOAA website (https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/mlo.html) and look at the
most recent carbon dioxide level measured. The highest level of carbon dioxide reached in the last
800,000 years was about 300 ppm. How much higher is the current carbon dioxide level than the
previous peak value of 300 ppm?
Answer:
Current year 414.15 ppm.
Previous Peak value =300 ppm
Difference :414.15−300=114.15 ppm
The current carbon dioxide level is higher that the previoous peak value of 300 ppm by 114.15 ppm
As a percentage, it is higher by; (Research)
114.15
300 ×100=38.05 %
(Score for Question 4: ___ of 12 points)
4. Construct a model of the carbon cycle that explains why the carbon dioxide levels are increasing.
Answer:
The following model of a carbon cycle explains briefly why the levels of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere keep increasing over the years. Generally, the processes from which carbon dioxide are
emitted have been increasing while the natural absorption of carbon dioxide such as by plants is being
tampered by human being though deforestation. From the model below, one way through which carbon
dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere is the combustion of fossil fuels. The carbon in fossil fuels is
released into the air by the increasing manufacture and use of cars as a means of transport. Respiration
from organisms, animals and human beings has been increasingly emitting carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere as the human population increases each year. (CSI)
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Earth Science | Graded Assignment | Lab Report: Carbon Cycle Analysis
The process of photosynthesis in green plants takes in or absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
This is the main process that contributes in the reduction of carbon dioxide levels. However, human
activities such as deforestation for fuel, settlement and farming has led to increase in the levels of carbon
gases in the air, by reducing trees or forests that could be using up the carbon.
References
CSI. Climate Science Investigations. 2020. http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes/sources-carbon-
dioxide.php. 15 April 2020.
Research, Earth Systems. Global Monitoring LAboratory. 2020.
https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/mlo.html. 15 April 2020.
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Earth Science | Graded Assignment | Lab Report: Carbon Cycle Analysis
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