What carbon is (non-statutory) | Science | Quizalize & Oak National Academy

Starter quiz

If something is harmful it means it can…

feed you.

cure you.

harm you. ✓

help you.
Which of these is not a living thing?

oak tree

rock ✓

chicken

cotton plant
What are the properties of something?

the places it can be found

the characteristics it has ✓

the different forms it comes in
Match the substance to the correct state of matter.

water vapour

⇔

gas ✓

oil

⇔

liquid ✓

ice

⇔

solid ✓
Coal, natural gas and crude oil are examples of ______ fuels.

'fossil' ✓
Fossil fuels are fuels that have been formed over millions of years from…

the remains of living things. ✓

fossilised skeletons.

different types of rocks.

Exit quiz

Graphite and diamonds are made of a substance called ______, which is also found in many other materials.

'carbon' ✓
Fossil ______ contain carbon, as they are made from the remains of living things.

'fuels' ✓
When fossil fuels are burned, many substances are produced, including…

carbon dioxide. ✓

natural gas.

oxygen.

coal.
Which statement about carbon dioxide is incorrect?

Carbon dioxide is in the air all around us.

Carbon dioxide is always harmful to living things. ✓

Carbon dioxide gas is used to make bubbles in fizzy drinks.

Carbon dioxide is used by plants to make food.
Why do increased amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cause problems?

because it can increase global temperatures ✓

because carbon dioxide is poisonous to living things

because it makes the air smoky and hard to breathe
Gases like carbon dioxide that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause global temperatures to increase are called ______ gases.

'greenhouse' ✓

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Lesson Details

Key learning points

Diamonds and the graphite used in pencil leads are both made of carbon, and these forms are harmless.
Carbon is in the fossil fuels natural gas, crude oil and coal.
Carbon dioxide is not dangerous; it is in the air we breathe and we add it to fizzy drinks.
Carbon is in carbon dioxide gas, which is produced when we burn fossil fuels.
Carbon dioxide is causing problems as it builds up to high levels in a greenhouse gas 'blanket' around Earth.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that carbon dioxide is inherently harmful due to the way information about climate change is often presented.

Explain that carbon dioxide is not necessarily harmful; it is in the air we breathe and it is vital for the survival of plants. It can, however, become problematic as levels in the atmosphere increase and cause a warming effect.

Keywords

Carbon - Carbon is a substance which can be found in many different materials and all living things.
Fossil fuel - A fossil fuel is a natural fuel formed from the remains of living things over millions of years, such as coal, crude oil or natural gas.
Carbon dioxide - Carbon dioxide is a type of gas.
Burn - When something burns, it is on fire.
Greenhouse gases - Gases which contribute towards global warming are called greenhouse gases.