Final answer:
As a carbon atom, I am absorbed by plants, transferred through the food chain, and eventually return to the atmosphere or soil. Human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, release extra carbon dioxide, altering the natural carbon cycle and contributing to climate change.
Step-by-step explanation:
As a carbon atom, I am an integral part of the carbon cycle, a journey that takes me through various forms and locations. I start my journey in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, where I am absorbed by plants during photosynthesis. Within the plants, I become part of glucose molecules and contribute to the plant's growth.
When animals eat the plants, I move up the food chain, becoming part of animal tissue. Eventually, when these organisms die or release waste, decomposers break down the organic matter, releasing me back into the soil or atmosphere. However, my cycle gets altered when humans burn fossil fuels, releasing additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change by enhancing the greenhouse effect.
Human activity has a significant impact on the carbon cycle. The burning of fossil fuels for energy releases large quantities of carbon dioxide into the air, increasing atmospheric carbon levels. This increase accelerates climate change and alters natural processes within the carbon cycle, affecting all organisms that depend on a stable climate and carbon supply.