what compound in air contains carbon, and what process do plants and algae use to utilize that carbon?
The carbon cycle shows how carbon moves from the atmosphere, through various animals and plants, then back into the atmosphere again. All cells contain carbon compounds such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Carbon is passed from the atmosphere, as carbon dioxide, to living things. It is passed from one organism to the next in complex molecules, and returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide again. Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Green plants and algae remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by photosynthesis [photosynthesis: The chemical change that occurs in the leaves of green plants. It uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose. Oxygen is produced as a by-product of photosynthesis.]