11/4/2015

Brainstorm:
 What is carbon?
 How is carbon used?
IB Biology
 Where can carbon be
found?
http://d32ogoqmya1dw8.cloudfront.net/images/eslabs/carbon/carbon_atom.jpg
After completing this investigation, you should be able to:
 explain why carbon atoms can form the basis of millions of
different types of carbon compound molecules.

describe how the carbon atoms in CO2 absorbed via plant
photosynthesis provide the carbon atoms for all of the
new carbon compounds a plant produces.
explain how carbon compounds are transformed in four
processes that are critical to the carbon cycle:
photosynthesis, cell respiration, biosynthesis and
combustion.
 apply skills to measure the amount of carbon in a tree.


Watch scientists taking
measurements of the
second largest giant
sequoia in
this National
Geographic video



With a partner, write down where you think
the biomass of the Giant Sequoia tree comes
from as it grows.
Share your list with the class.
As you look at the class list, are there any
sources of the tree's biomass that make more
sense than others? Why?
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11/4/2015


watch this TedEd video: Where Do Trees
Come From? In the video, people are asked
for their hypotheses as to where tree growth
comes from.
As you watch, make note of the hypotheses
that people suggest.

Trees, like all living
organisms, are made of a
lot of water. If we remove
the water and dehydrate
the tree, the left-over dry
mass (dry weight) of the
tree is referred to as the
tree's biomass.

A tree's biomass consists
of organic carboncompounds the tree has
created in order to grow.

Where do you think the
carbon atoms in the
glucose sugar molecule
come from?

In the video, were there any major
misconceptions that people had about where
the biomass of a tree comes from as it grows?
If so, do they match any of the hypotheses on
the class list?
A glucose sugar molecule produced by plants A cellulose molecule. Cellulose is a
and algae via the process of photosynthesis. carbohydrate produced by plants and
comprises most of the woody tissue biomass
in plants.
http://d32ogoqmya1dw8.cloudfront.net/images/eslabs/carbon/woody_tissue_tree_1409675453.jpg


The carbon atoms in the
glucose sugar come
directly from carbon
dioxide molecules (CO2)
taken in from the air
during photosynthesis.
This means that ALL of
the billions and billions of
carbon atoms in a tree
originally came from the
air.
Trees, like all other plants,
grow by building billions
of different types of
organic carboncompounds such
as proteins,
carbohydrates, fats and
oils, and nucleic acids
(DNA and RNA.)
Three seed cones and one seed from the giant
Sequoia tree.
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11/4/2015

Carbon atoms form the
structural backbone of all
organic carbon-compounds
but other types of atoms are
needed as well.

These key atoms include
hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen,
phosphorus and sulfur.
 CHNOPS.

Three seed cones and one seed from the giant
Sequoia tree.




Where do these key atoms
come from?
Absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air via photosynthesis.
Use the CO2 absorbed from the air and H2O drawn up from the
roots to make glucose sugar molecules - a carbon-compound.
Burn (oxidize) some of the glucose sugar molecules for the
energy needed by the tree to carry out all of its life functions.
Release some CO2 to the air as a by-product of cellular
respiration.
Break the remaining glucose sugar molecules apart and
combine the carbon atoms with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen,
phosphorus, and sulfur atoms to build complex organic
carbon compounds such as carbohydrates, proteins and
nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).
Short segment of DNA molecule

The dry biomass of a mature Giant Sequoia
tree is about 550 metric tonnes (about
1,213,000 lbs). Check your understanding of
where the dry mass of a growing tree comes
from by selecting the correct answer for each
question.

The dry biomass of a
mature Giant Sequoia
tree is about 550
metric tonnes (about
1,213,000 lbs). Check
your understanding of
where the dry mass of
a growing tree comes
from by selecting the
correct answer for
each question.

How much of the
dry biomass of a
tree comes from
water?




All
Most
Some
None
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11/4/2015

The dry biomass of a
mature Giant Sequoia
tree is about 550 metric
tonnes (about 1,213,000
lbs). Check your
understanding of where
the dry mass of a
growing tree comes
from by selecting the
correct answer for each
question.
Where do plants
get carbon to
make up their
biomass?
 How much of the
dry biomass of a
tree comes from
the Sun?


How much of the dry
biomass of a tree
comes from nutrients
in the soil such as
nitrogen and
phosphorus?





All
Most
Some
None
I will be able to:
 explain how carbon
compounds are
transformed in four
processes that are critical
to the carbon cycle:
photosynthesis, cell
respiration, biosynthesis
and combustion.
 Estimate the Kg of
carbon in a tree.


• Photosynthesis
• Cellular
Respiration
• Biosynthesis
The dry biomass of a
mature Giant Sequoia
tree is about 550
metric tonnes (about
1,213,000 lbs). Check
your understanding of
where the dry mass of
a growing tree comes
from by selecting the
correct answer for
each question.

The dry biomass of a
mature Giant Sequoia
tree is about 550 metric
tonnes (about 1,213,000
lbs). Check your
understanding of where
the dry mass of a
growing tree comes
from by selecting the
correct answer for each
question.

How much of the
dry biomass of a
tree comes from the
air?




All
Most
Some
None
How much of the dry
biomass of a tree
comes from the
carbon atoms in
carbon dioxide
molecules?




All
Most
Some
None
Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air enters a tree
via the process(es) of ...
 respiration
 biosynthesis
 photosynthesis
Carbon Cycle of a Single Tree. Credit: Valerie Martin, TERC
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
Once CO2 enters the leaves of a tree,
where can the carbon atoms move
to?





soil
leaf litter-fall
roots
branches, stems, and leaves
air

Carbon gets stored in the stems, branches,
roots and leaves of trees by what process?
Under which of the following conditions would a
tree add biomass and grow?
Overtime, a tree releases more carbon back to the
air via respiration than it takes in via photosynthesis.
2. Overtime, a tree takes in more carbon via
photosynthesis than it releases back to the air via
respiration.
3. Overtime, a tree takes in the same amount of
carbon via photosynthesis as it releases back to the
air via respiration.
1.

You can easily determine the amount of
carbon stored in your favorite tree using
simple materials and calculations.

Watch this video Forest Carbon 101 produced
by The Nature Conservancy .
 respiration
 biosynthesis
 photosynthesis
1.
2.
3.
Student A stands at the
base of the tree.
Student B holds a ruler or
pencil at arm's length a
distance away from the
tree.
Student B lines up the top
of the bottom of the ruler
or pencil with Student A's
feet, and places a thumb on
it to mark the place where it
lines up with Student B's
head. This length
represents the scaled
height of Student A.
• Student B moves the ruler
or pencil to see how many
scaled heights of Student A it
takes to reach the top of the
tree.
 • Student B measures
Student A's actual height and
multiplies it by the previous
result.


For example, if Student A's
height is 140 cm and it takes
six scaled heights to reach
the top of the tree, then the
height of the tree would be
140 cm × 6 = 8.4 m.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6fltSqImFM
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11/4/2015

Work with your partner
to:
 Estimate the height of
your tree
 Measure the
circumference of a tree,
using the string @ 1.4
meters above the
ground.
 Use these to estimate
the amount of carbon in
your tree.

Materials per group:




String
Ruler
Meter stick
Clip board with Activity 3
Paper


1. Explain why trees (and all plants) represent a
small but complete carbon cycle. Draw your
own diagram (include your tree) to help you
illustrate your answer.
2. Describe how the carbon from carbon dioxide
molecules in the atmosphere can end up in a
coyote. Use your diagram to help you explain
your answer if you need to.
•
•
•
•

Let’s watch the video

Write down the various forms of carbon
mentioned in the video
respiration
photosynthesis
ingestion(eating)
decomposition
Most of the carbon on earth is locked up in the
crust in limestone rocks: CaCO3
(PUT THIS IN YOUR NOTES!)
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11/4/2015
Coal = carbon
Methane = CH4
(PUT IN
NOTES!)
PHOTOSYNTHESIS (plants and Algae):
6CO2 + 6H2O (sunlight)  C6H12O6 + 6O2
RESPIRATION (all life)
C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O (+ energy!)
carbon dioxide
Where:
C6H12O6 = sugar
O2 = oxygen
CO2 = carbon dioxide
H2O = water
bicarbonate
(PUT THIS IN NOTES)
carbonate
carbonic acid
calcium carbonate water
(PUT THIS IN NOTES)
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11/4/2015
(don’t put this in your notes!)
CO2
Limestone
CaCO3
That means every place with carbon has at
least one arrow coming in and one arrow
going out!
CO2
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