Step 1)Carbon enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide from respiration(breathing)and combustion (burning)
Step 2)Carbon dioxide is absorbed by plants to make carbs in photosynthesis. These producers then put off oxygen.
Step 3)Animals feed on the plants. Which passes carbon along the food chain.Most of the carbon these animals consume however is exhaled as carbon dioxide. This through the process of respiration. Then the animals and plants eventually die.
Step 4)The dead plant and animal are then eaten by decomposers in the ground. The carbon that was in there body is then returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.In some circumstances th process of decomposition is prevented. The decompose animals and plants may then be available as fossil fuel in the future for combustion
