| A | B |
|---|
| abiotic carbon sink | the accumulated C/O in the non-living parts of Earth in minerals (limestone/marble), fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal), gases (like atmospheric and dissolved in water O2 and CO2) |
| biotic carbon sink | the accumulated C in the sum of all living organisms on Earth |
| carbon dioxide | a gas which comprises <1% of the atmosphere, is a greenhouse gas |
| cellular respiration | during this cellular process in which C6H12O6 (glucose) and O2 are used, energy as well as, CO2, and H2O is released |
| combustion | the burning of C-based fuels in the presence of O2 , releasing CO2 and H2O as an end product |
| decomposition | the process of decay in which organisms (bacteria, fungi, and some animals) take in complex C-based nutrients and break them down to more simple molecules |
| excretion | the release of C-containing waste from an organism |
| ingestion | the consumption of C-based nutrients by an organism |
| oxygen | a gas which comprises 21% of the atmosphere and is essential for all aerobic organisms/processes |
| photosynthesis | water is used in this cellular process in which sunlight and carbon dioxide are used to produce sugar |
| runoff | water moving across the surface of the earth, often associated with the transfer of soil and organic matter from one place to another |
