Chapter 18, Problem 6TQ

Summary Introduction

The chief component of major biological compounds is carbon and it is the primary component of many minerals like limestone. The carbon is exchanged among the biosphere (pedosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere) of the earth through a biogeochemical cycle known as the carbon cycle.

The hydrological cycle is defined as the circular process through which water evaporates from the oceans, condenses, and falls to the earth surfaces as snow or rain. The rain and snow ultimately return back to the ocean through rivers and streams. The hydrological cycle is also known as the water cycle.