Carbon is perhaps the most important element for living things. That is because it forms the basic structure of all the living organisms in this world. It is the first element that is converted into food and then the element that is burned to obtain energy for both growth and maintenance. Let's see its path through the life of living things.
When sunlight reaches the earth, the plants take it up along with carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide then reacts with water to form glucose and oxygen. Glucose is important for obtaining energy and to develop other structural and storage molecules like proteins and lipids respectively.
Also as a result of this reaction, oxygen is given off by plants which is required by all aerobically respiring living organisms.
Also, the plants are then eaten by herbivores who use the energy from them to grow and develop. These herbivores are then eaten by carnivores who take up the carbon based energy. Thus, carbon travels between each trophic level and provides energy to each tier.
Besides that all the structures in living things are based on carbon. Your nails, your hair, your skin and your liver all contain carbon in the form of proteins and lipids.
When we talk of humans, carbon has even more importance. It is the basis on which the industrial revolution thrived. We use carbon fuels to obtain energy. We now use this energy in every sphere of our life. We produce electricity from it, we run our ship engines on it, our industries function on it and even our cars need fuel to run. We need methane to light up the stove so that we can cook. Even back in the times when cooking was done on logs, it was the carbon in the wood that burned to produce the heat energy.
In my opinion, carbon is synonymous with 'life' because it gives energy to live and material to help our bodies have and maintain a structure.
When sunlight reaches the earth, the plants take it up along with carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide then reacts with water to form glucose and oxygen. Glucose is important for obtaining energy and to develop other structural and storage molecules like proteins and lipids respectively.
Also as a result of this reaction, oxygen is given off by plants which is required by all aerobically respiring living organisms.
Also, the plants are then eaten by herbivores who use the energy from them to grow and develop. These herbivores are then eaten by carnivores who take up the carbon based energy. Thus, carbon travels between each trophic level and provides energy to each tier.
Besides that all the structures in living things are based on carbon. Your nails, your hair, your skin and your liver all contain carbon in the form of proteins and lipids.
When we talk of humans, carbon has even more importance. It is the basis on which the industrial revolution thrived. We use carbon fuels to obtain energy. We now use this energy in every sphere of our life. We produce electricity from it, we run our ship engines on it, our industries function on it and even our cars need fuel to run. We need methane to light up the stove so that we can cook. Even back in the times when cooking was done on logs, it was the carbon in the wood that burned to produce the heat energy.
In my opinion, carbon is synonymous with 'life' because it gives energy to live and material to help our bodies have and maintain a structure.