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Earth system cycles are natural processes in which materials and energy move through the Earth's various spheres, such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and geosphere. Examples include the water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and phosphorus cycle. These cycles are interconnected and play a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate and sustaining life.
The biosphere is considered an open system because it interacts with its surroundings through the exchange of energy and matter. It receives input of energy from the sun and cycles materials such as carbon, nitrogen, and water with other Earth systems.
Energy in the biosphere flows through a one-way system, entering as sunlight and being converted into chemical energy through photosynthesis. This energy is then transferred through the food chain as organisms consume each other. In contrast, matter in the biosphere cycles through biogeochemical processes, such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles, where elements are taken up by organisms, recycled, and reused in the ecosystem.
The carbon cycle is when plants convert carbon dioxide, CO2, from the atmosphere into carbohydrates, such as glucose, C6H12O6. Then, organisms eat the plants and obtain the carbon from the carbohydrates. Next, organisms' bodies break down the carbohydrates and release some of the carbon back into the air as CO2.
The respiratory system is responsible for taking in oxygen through the lungs and releasing carbon dioxide back into the environment. Oxygen is taken up by the blood in the lungs and carbon dioxide is expelled from the body through exhalation.