Russell Cuhel collects and analyzes water samples to discover how abiotic factors affect the ecology of Lake Michigan. One of the elements he monitors is carbon, which cycles between living and nonliving parts of the biosphere. In organisms, carbon is a major component in the chemical structure of organic compounds. We also find carbon-based molecules in rocks, dissolved in water, and as gases in the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide mixes with water, it produces an acid, which can be detected by a chemical indicator.
In this activity, you will investigate the release of carbon-containing gas from living and nonliving sources.