Respiration Carbon Cycle

Illustration showing why the exhaling of carbon dioxide (CO2) by humans and animals does not contribute to global warming.  Plant photosynthesis and animal respiration form a carbon cycle, where plants consume CO2 and release oxygen (O2), while animals consume oxygen and release the CO2 that is then used by plants.  Global warming is caused by the additional CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels that is not part of this normal carbon cycle (see the Complete Carbon Cycle graphic).

SkS Resources that use this Graphic

• Does Breathing Contribute to CO2 Buildup in the Atmosphere? (basic)
• Does Breathing Contribute to CO2 Buildup in the Atmosphere?
• New SkS Graphic: The Respiration Carbon Cycle
• Carbon Cycle (Wikipedia)

Images

• High resolution JPEG (1024 pixels wide)
• Vector (Windows Metafile WMF)

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