Question

A scientist is studying an aquarium ecosystem that contains water, plants, and fish that eat those plants. The aquarium has glass walls so light can get in, but it is sealed so no material can move into or out of the tank. When the scientist turned the aquarium's light on, carbon in the water started decreasing. How is carbon moving and what is happening to the amount of carbon in the living things inside the aquarium?

Answer 1

Carbon moves from the plant to the fish when it feeds on them. Carbon in form of carbondioxide is used by plants during photosynthesis.

The amount of carbon is decreasing due to the photosynthetic action of the plants in the aquarium

Step-by-step explanation:

According to this question, the aquarium contains water, plants and fish. The glass of the aquarium is transparent and allows the passage of light. Plants are unique set of organisms that have the ability to produce their own food (organic molecule) using the energy from light which they absorb via the Chlorophyll pigment in their Chloroplast. This process carried out by plants is called PHOTOSYNTHESIS.

Carbondioxide, which is a compound of carbon, is an important component needed for photosynthesis. It is released when living organisms undergo respiration. The released CO2 is then absorbed by plants to produce their food (glucose) during photosynthesis. The fish in the aquarium is an heterotroph that relies on the plants for its carbon source. It feeds on the plants to get carbon compounds. Therefore, carbon moves from the plants to the fish in the aquarium.

The amount of carbon in form of carbondioxide (CO2) decreases when the light was switched on in the aquarium due to the process of photosynthesis carried out by the plants.

6CO2 + 6H2O + light -----> C6H12O6 + 6O2