Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.

For K-12 Students · Carbon Cycle

Carbon Cycle for an El Niño

Built for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework. Simulate an El Niño live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Carbon Cycle Box ModelLive

reservoirs & fluxes

Controls

Speed1×

Presets

Emissions (GtC/yr)

Carbon moves between four great reservoirs — atmosphere, surface ocean, deep ocean, and biosphere — through exchange fluxes. Add fossil emissions to the atmosphere box and watch how slowly the oceans and land can draw it back down. The deep ocean is huge but exchanges slowly.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Year0

Atmosphere875 GtC

CO₂410 ppm

Governing equation

\frac{d C _{a t m}}{d t} = E - F_{a s} - F_{ab} = 10.0 - 6.8 - - 3.6 GtC/yr

Reading this result: At 10 GtC/yr the surface ocean and biosphere buffer part of the input, but they saturate, so atmospheric CO₂ keeps drifting upward rather than settling.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for k-12 students?: Yes — this version of "Carbon Cycle for an El Niño" is framed for k-12 students learning it in middle or high school. Watch the idea come alive with plain-language steps and everyday examples — perfect for projects and homework.
Do I need to install anything?: No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.