what is the oxygen cycle? Describe it briefly.
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The atmosphere carries a small quantity of all oxygen, only about 0.35% of the entire earth’s oxygen. In the atmosphere, oxygen is released by the process known as photolysis. Photolysis happens when the ultraviolet radiation of sunlight breaks apart oxygen-containing molecules such as nitrous oxide and atmospheric water to release free oxygen. The surplus oxygen recombines with other oxygen molecules to form ozone while the rest is freed into the atmosphere. Ozone is the layer that helps to shield the Earth from the dangerous ultra violet rays.
Biosphere
The biosphere carries the smallest quantity of all earth’s oxygen, about 0.01%. In the biosphere, the major oxygen cycles are photosynthesis and respiration. In these two processes of the oxygen cycle, it is interconnected with the carbon cycle and the water cycle. During photosynthesis, plants and planktons use sunlight energy, water, and carbon dioxide to make food (carbohydrates) and release oxygen as a by-product. As such, plants and planktons are the main producers of oxygen in the ecosystem. They take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. Plants are estimated to replace about 99% of all the oxygen used.
On the other hand, respiration happens when humans and animals breathe in oxygen which is used during metabolism to break down carbohydrates and exhale carbon dioxide as a by-product. Such free carbon dioxide is then released into the environment and is used by plants and planktons during photosynthesis to give out molecular atmospheric oxygen, thus completing the oxygen cycle. Therefore, suffice is to say that oxygen enters organisms in the biosphere through respiration and is expelled through photosynthesis in a process that is interconnected with the carbon cycleplus the water cycle.
Biosphere
The biosphere carries the smallest quantity of all earth’s oxygen, about 0.01%. In the biosphere, the major oxygen cycles are photosynthesis and respiration. In these two processes of the oxygen cycle, it is interconnected with the carbon cycle and the water cycle. During photosynthesis, plants and planktons use sunlight energy, water, and carbon dioxide to make food (carbohydrates) and release oxygen as a by-product. As such, plants and planktons are the main producers of oxygen in the ecosystem. They take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. Plants are estimated to replace about 99% of all the oxygen used.
On the other hand, respiration happens when humans and animals breathe in oxygen which is used during metabolism to break down carbohydrates and exhale carbon dioxide as a by-product. Such free carbon dioxide is then released into the environment and is used by plants and planktons during photosynthesis to give out molecular atmospheric oxygen, thus completing the oxygen cycle. Therefore, suffice is to say that oxygen enters organisms in the biosphere through respiration and is expelled through photosynthesis in a process that is interconnected with the carbon cycleplus the water cycle.
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