Cycles of Matter Answers

Which statements accurately describe the roles of decomposers in the carbon cycle? Select three options.Decomposers release carbon dioxide into the air as waste.Decomposers remove carbon dioxide from the air during photosynthesis.Decomposers break down the remains of dead plants and animals.Decomposers return carbon compounds to the soil.Decomposers use carbon to make food molecules.

Sample Response: Human activity can affect the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. When fossil fuels like oil, coal, and natural gas are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as waste. The clearcutting of forests for lumber and fuel also increases levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because the trees can no longer remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for photosynthesis. If trees are burned in order to be cleared, the burning processes release even more carbon dioxide

carbon✔ nitrogenwater