You are a carbon atom.
For millions of years you were underground in fossil fuels. Now, you have been released into the atmosphere as humans burn fuels. Did you know that 5000 megatons of carbon are released into the atmosphere as fossil fuels are burned each year?
In this game, you will travel the carbon cycle. Your objective is to get to all the places that carbon is stored along this map. Earn extra points by correctly answering the carbon challenge questions at the yellow stars. ]]>
Welcome to the Atmosphere
greenhouse gas called carbon dioxide. Only a small amount (0.04%) of the atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide. Because of burning fossil fuels, the amount has increased 30% in the past 150 years. More carbon dioxide in our atmosphere makes our planet warmer.]]>
Welcome to the Surface Ocean
ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than the land does. The surface ocean takes in approximately 90 Gigatons of carbon per year. Cold water absorbs carbon faster than warm water.]]>
Welcome to the Deep Ocean
photosynthesis). You are now one of the building blocks that make up a plant. As more carbon dioxide is added to our atmosphere, plants will be able to grow faster. Plants also release carbon back to the atmosphere by respiration. ]]>
True
False
3%
13%
30%
63%
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
5
50
500
5,000
True
False
Water vapor
Nitrogen oxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon trioxide
tens of years
hundreds of years
thousands of years
millions of years
5%
16%
50%
65%
the surface ocean
marine life
both
neither
0.04%
0.4%
4%
40%
5% increase
15% increase
30% increase
50% increase
True
False
True
False
90 tons
90 gigatons
90 grams
90 pounds
True
False
True
False
True
False
True
False
algae
clams and snails
coral
all of the above
The Carbon Cycle Game interactive was created by Lisa Gardiner (text and graphics) and Julia Genyuk (programming).
Development of this interactive was inspired by Carbon Cycle Pursuit, a classroom board game developed by the APOL Biocomplexity Project and Traveling Nitrogen, a Windows to the Universe classroom activity.
The source of this material is Windows to the Universe (http://www.windows.ucar.edu) at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).
Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. All Rights Reserved.]]>