When living organisms die, their bodies decompose and release carbon into the environment in the form of carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide can be absorbed by plants through photosynthesis, and then consumed by animals as part of the food chain.
Over time, when these plants and animals die and decompose, their carbon is eventually buried and can be transformed into sedimentary rocks through processes such as burial and lithification. This process can take millions of years, but ultimately results in the storage of carbon in rocks, effectively removing it from the carbon cycle and storing it for long periods of time.
How does carbon stored in the bodies of living organisms move into rocks?
1 answer