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Learn about The Carbon Cycle — Simply Explained
The carbon cycle describes how carbon atoms continuously travel between the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living things. Plants absorb CO₂ for photosynthesis, animals release it through respiration, and decomposition returns carbon to the soil. Human activity has disrupted this balance by releasing ancient carbon stored in fossil fuels.
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Relatable uses AI-powered personas to explain The Carbon Cycle using analogies from your everyday life. Pick a style that clicks with you — from a Gen Z Teen to a Medieval Knight.
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What is a carbon sink?+
A carbon sink absorbs more carbon than it releases. The biggest natural sinks are oceans and forests. The Amazon rainforest alone absorbs about 2 billion tons of CO₂ per year, though this capacity is declining.
How does burning fossil fuels affect the carbon cycle?+
Fossil fuels contain carbon that was stored underground for millions of years. Burning them releases that carbon as CO₂ in decades, overwhelming nature’s ability to reabsorb it and causing atmospheric CO₂ to spike.
What is carbon capture?+
Carbon capture technologies remove CO₂ from the air or from industrial emissions and store it underground or in products. It’s promising but currently expensive and not yet deployed at the scale needed.
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