THE OXYGEN CYCLE

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THE OXYGEN CYCLE

• By Megan Reed, Annabel Lee, Brad Kim, and Dahlia
  Hage

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Oxygen

• Oxygen, one of the main components of the Earths
  atmosphere, can always be found with other
  elements.
• Two oxygen atoms make up one oxygen molecule, and
  three oxygen atoms together make up the molecule
  called ozone.

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Oxygen

• As a gas, oxygen is odorless, colorless, and
  highly reactive.
• Oxygen is essential for the survival of many
  organisms, and, in the ozone, provides protection
  to life by filtering out the suns ultraviolet
  rays.

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What is the Oxygen Cycle?

• In the oxygen cycle, oxygen atoms present in the
  earth circulate through a series of intricate
  processes.
• Like the nitrogen, carbon, and water cycles, the
  oxygen cycle is a biogeochemical cycle.
• A biogeochemical cycle is the movement of matter
  through the biotic and the abiotic spheres of the
  ecosystem.

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How do plants contribute?

• The oxygen cycle begins with plants and
  photosynthesis.
• Through photosynthesis, plants convert the energy
  from the sun and water into carbohydrates and
  oxygen.
• During the day plants convert carbon dioxide
  into oxygen.
• During the night plants convert oxygen into
  carbon dioxide to maintain their metabolism.

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How does water contribute?

• Oxygen in water is known as dissolved oxygen.
  When water runs over rocks, oxygen enters and
  creates a lot of high surface area which allows
  oxygen to transfer from the air into the water
  very quickly.

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How do living organisms contribute?

• Humans and animals breathe in oxygen and breathe
  out carbon dioxide through their processes of
  metabolism, sparking the process of
  photosynthesis, once again linking back to the
  plants contribution to the oxygen cycle.

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The Three Main Reservoirs
The three reservoirs are the locations in which
oxygen is found.

• Biosphere (living things)
• Lithosphere (Earths crust)
• Atmosphere (air)

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Biosphere and Atmosphere

• Within the biosphere and atmosphere, plants begin
  the oxygen cycle and animals continue it.
• Photolysis also donates to a large portion of the
  oxygen in the atmosphere, where high energy
  ultraviolet radiation breaks down the atmospheric
  water and nitrate.

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Biosphere and Atmosphere

• Much of the oxygen present in the atmosphere is
  used during respiration and decay mechanisms,
  where animal life and bacteria consume oxygen and
  release carbon dioxide.
• Oxygen is also cycled between the biosphere and
  lithosphere.

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Maintaining the Oxygen Cycle

• There has been speculation by scientific experts
  that the oxygen cycle may be disturbed, and there
  may come a time when the amount of carbon dioxide
  is very large and there are too few plants to
  covert it into Oxygen
• It is imperative that we reduce pollution and
  protect our environment in order to maintain a
  well functioning oxygen cycle.

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Works Cited

• http//water.me.vccs.edu/concepts/oxcycle.jpg
• Morris, R.M., OXYSPHERE - A Beginners' Guide to
  the Biogeochemical Cycling of Atmospheric Oxygen,
  http//seis.natsci.csulb.edu/rmorris/oxy/Oxy.htm
• Fasullo, J., Substitute Lectures for ATOC 3600
  Principles of Climate, Lectures on the global
  oxygen cycle, http//paos.colorado.edu/fasullo/pj
  w_class/oxygencycle.html
• http//www.copperwiki.org/index.php/Oxygen_Cycle
• http//www.fossweb.com/resources/pictures/48825681
  7.gif
• http//www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/dynamic/ses
  sion1/images_sess1/4spheres.jpg
• http//people.hofstra.edu/geotrans/eng/ch8en/conc8
  en/img/biosphere.gif
• http//water.me.vccs.edu/concepts/oxcycle.jpg
• http//www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/989/5011
  6263.JPG