How living things move carbon

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Ari reads a carbon cycle diagram of a meadow. The arrow from the air to the grass has a blank label. Which process belongs on it?

   • Photosynthesis, which takes carbon dioxide in
   • Decomposition, which takes carbon dioxide in
   • Cellular respiration, which takes carbon dioxide in
   • No process, since the grass makes its own carbon
2. 2.

   Bo reads the arrow from the grass back to the air. It carries carbon dioxide, but its label is blank. Which process belongs on it?

   • Photosynthesis, which gives carbon dioxide back
   • Cellular respiration, which gives carbon dioxide back
   • Decomposition, which gives carbon dioxide back
   • No process, since plants do not release carbon dioxide
3. 3.

   Esme reads the arrow from the decomposers to the air. It carries carbon dioxide, and its label is blank. Which process belongs on it?

   • Photosynthesis, which returns carbon dioxide to the air
   • Destruction, which makes the carbon in remains vanish
   • Dissolving, which moves carbon dioxide into the ocean
   • Decomposition, which returns carbon dioxide to the air
4. 4.

   Jun reads a meadow diagram. Box W supplies the carbon dioxide that the grass takes in and receives what the grass gives back. Which store is box W?

   • The ocean
   • The atmosphere
   • The soil
   • A rock layer
5. 5.

   Kira reads the arrows between the air and box X. Carbon dioxide gas dissolves into box X and leaves it again. Which store is box X?

   • A rock layer
   • No store, since carbon dioxide cannot move into water
   • The soil
   • The ocean
6. 6.

   Flow diagram of the carbon cycle (model, not to scale), Earth as a whole. Luz reads a carbon store diagram. Box W holds most of Earth’s carbon. Which store is box W?

   • The atmosphere
   • Plants and algae
   • Rock layers
   • The soil
7. 7.

   Noah reads a glossary entry. Which meaning fits the term decomposer?

   • An organism, such as a fungus, that destroys the carbon in remains
   • An organism, such as a grasshopper, that gets carbon from plant material
   • An organism, such as a fungus, that breaks down remains and wastes
   • An organism, such as grass, that makes sugar from carbon dioxide and light
8. 8.

   Pia reads a glossary entry. Which meaning fits the term carbon cycle?

   • The movement of carbon among air, water, rock and living things
   • The flow of energy from the Sun through food to heat
   • The making of new carbon atoms by green plants and algae
   • The path of carbon until decomposers destroy it for good
9. 9.

   Ren sees that grass takes in carbon dioxide in light. At night the grass cells still use sugar for energy. Which gas do they give off?

   • No gas, since plants do not release carbon dioxide
   • Carbon, as new atoms made from the sugar
   • Carbon dioxide, from cellular respiration
   • Oxygen, from photosynthesis at night
10. 10.

    Zee reads two arrows between the air and the ocean surface. What do they show?

    • Carbon dioxide moves into the water and out of it again
    • Carbon dioxide moves into the water and is destroyed there
    • Carbon dioxide moves in one direction, from the water to the air
    • The ocean takes no part, since the arrows show wind