carbon cycle

carbon cycle
carbon cycle n the cycle of carbon in living beings in which carbon dioxide is fixed by photosynthesis to form organic nutrients and is ultimately restored to the inorganic state by respiration and protoplasmic decay

* * *

the steps by which carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) is extracted from the atmosphere by living organisms and ultimately returned to the atmosphere. It comprises a series of interconversions of carbon compounds beginning with the production of carbohydrates by plants during photosynthesis, proceeding through animal consumption, and ending and beginning again in the decomposition of the animal or plant or in the exhalation of carbon dioxide by animals.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • carbon cycle — n. 1. the cycle by which plants through photosynthesis use atmospheric carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates, which are in turn metabolized by animals to decomposition products that return carbon dioxide to the atmosphere 2. a cyclic series of… …   English World dictionary

  • carbon cycle — UK US noun [S] ► ENVIRONMENT the continuous movement of carbon between different living things on Earth and between living things and the environment, through natural physical processes and also through the burning of fossil fuels: »Computer… …   Financial and business terms

  • Carbon cycle — The carbon cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere of the Earth.The cycle is usually thought of as four major reservoirs of carbon interconnected by… …   Wikipedia

  • carbon cycle — anglies, azoto ir deguonies ciklas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Žvaigždžių gelmėse vykstančių termobranduolinių vandenilio virtimo heliu reakcijų seka (katalizatoriai – C ir N). atitikmenys: angl. Bethe cycle; Bethe Weizsäcker cycle;… …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • carbon cycle — /ˈkabən saɪkəl/ (say kahbuhn suykuhl) noun 1. Biology the circulation on earth of carbon atoms, from the atmosphere through plants and animals back into the atmosphere. 2. Astrophysics a cycle of nuclear transformations, with the release of… …  

  • carbon cycle — noun 1. the organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again • Hypernyms: ↑organic process, ↑biological process 2. a thermonuclear reaction in the interior of stars • Hypernyms: ↑thermonuclear reaction * * * ˈcarbon …   Useful english dictionary

  • carbon cycle — Betės ciklas statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. Bethe cycle; carbon cycle vok. Bethe Weizsäcker Zyklus, m; Kohlenstoffzyklus, m rus. углеродный цикл, m; цикл Бете, m pranc. cycle de Bethe, m; cycle du carbone, m …   Fizikos terminų žodynas

  • carbon cycle — anglies ciklas statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Biogeocheminis ciklas, apimantis įvairius cheminius, fizinius, geologinius ir biologinius procesus, kuriais anglis juda Žemės biosferoje, geosferoje, hidrosferoje ir atmosferoje …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Carbon cycle re-balancing — The carbon cycle is the process by which carbon is exchanged between the four reservoirs of carbon: the biosphere, the earth, the air and water. Exchanges take place in several ways, including respiration, transpiration, combustion and decay. The …   Wikipedia

  • carbon cycle — 1. Ecol. the circulation of carbon atoms in the biosphere as a result of photosynthetic conversion of carbon dioxide into complex organic compounds by plants, which are consumed by other organisms: the carbon returns to the atmosphere in the form …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”