Earth's Cycle Project

Final Assessment

Rock Cycle

1) How does a metamorphic rock become a sedimentary rock?

-First, metamorphic rock cools down, called crystallization, and break down by weathering. It turns into sediments. Then, erosion moves the sediments into water area. Next, compaction and cementation glue the sediments into sedimentary rock.

2) How does magma change into a metamorphic rock?

-First, crystallization happens. Magma cools down, and it becomes igneous rock. Then, heat and pressure cause igneous rock turns into metamorphic rock.

Carbon Cycle

3) How does a consumer become a fossil fuel?

-After consumers die, decomposers break down the organism, called decomposition. This process continues million of year, and turns into fossil fuel.

4) How can a fossil fuel be used in photosynthesis?

-First, fossil fuel burned by factory. It produces carbon dioxide, called CO2 emission. Consumption produces CO2 to the atmosphere. Producers use sunlight, water and CO2 to produce oxygen, called photosynthesis.

Water Cycle

5) How does lake water turn into a cloud?

-Sunlight heats the water from lake or ocean, called evaporation. It also heat the water from plants, called transpiration. They turn into water vapor. It makes clouds, and bigger, called condensation.

6) How can a cloud turn into groundwater?

-First, when clouds are big enough to rain, called precipitation. Then, water runoffs to soil. Next, water goes into ground, called infiltration, and becomes groundwater.

Essential Questions:

1) How are the rock, carbon, water cycles connected to the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere?

-          In hydrosphere, which means water, connected to all three cycles. Weathering breaks down igneous rock into sediments, and erosion moves the sediments to ocean. Producers also talk water from groundwater, and produce oxygen (photosynthesis). Consumers take in oxygen, and produce carbon dioxide. After they die, decomposers break down the organism, and become fossil, and fossil is sedimentary rock. In addition, when precipitation happen, water runoffs to soil, and goes underground, and become groundwater. All those cycle connected to each other and hydrosphere.

           In lithosphere, which means land/soil, connected to all three cycles. When precipitation happens, water runoffs and goes into soil. Plants need those cycle to grow, and produce oxygen, When rock forms from sedimentary rock to metamorphic rock, it happens underground, includes compaction and cementation. 

           In atmosphere, which means gas, connected to all three cycles. For example, when volcano erupts, lava comes out, and produces CO2 to atmosphere. In addition, when factory burns fossil fuel to produce CO2 into atmosphere, called CO2 emission. Sunlight also heats the water from ocean and plant. It turn into water vapor, and makes cloud, called condensation. Those cycles connected to atmosphere.

           In biosphere, which means living thing. Producers and consumers are living organism. They produce oxygen and carbon dioxide. Plants also need water from precipitation and groundwater to survive. The extremely hot temperature can destroy surrounding living things. Therefore, all three cycle connected to biosphere.

2) How are the three cycles connected to each other?

-First, weathering or precipitation breaks down the rock into sediments, and erosion moves the sediment to ocean. Then, the water pressure squeezes the sediments into sedimentary rock and metamorphic rock. In addition, precipitation also give water to producers, which use to produce oxygen, and exchanges CO2 from consumers. After they die, they turn to fossil, and fossil is sedimentary rock. In conclusion, all three cycles are connected to each other.