biogeochemical Flashcards
is vital for all life and universal processes. On earth, the sun serves as the primary source, directly fueling processes like phootsynthesis and indirectly through fossil fuels, which store its trapped enrgy from the sun
energy
is stored energy that is latent byt available for use
potential
the energy obtained in moving objects
kinetic energy
Without the ____, photosynthesis could not take place. The sun provides the initial energy that starts the cycle of photosynthesis, which converts this sun energy into food for plants.
THE SUN
What is the process in photosynthesis?
Energy from light is harvested and used to drive synthesis of organic carbohydrates (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water, generating oxygen.
Within the chloroplasts are specialized pigment molecules called
chlorophylls
can absorb light and turn it into chemical energy that the plant can use
chlorophyll
is the only way that radiant energy from the sun can be converted into organic molecules for plants and animals to consume
photosynthesi
what are the different trophic levels?
autotrophs
primary consumers
secondary consumers
tertiary consumers
quaternary consumers
What is the 10% rule of energy in energy pyramid?
In the food web or energy pyramid, each trophic level only gets 10% of its energy from the level before it. The other 90% of the energy in the trophic level goes to many functions, such as living, growing, and reproduction.
How is the balance maintained in Eearth?
through biogeochemical cycles - carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and water that connect life to the nonliving environment
is a continuous natural process that ensures a steady supply of freshwater for all living things, playing a crucial role in maintaining Earth’s balance.
Hydrologic Cycles
refers to the movement of matter through different stages in natural systems. In the figure, yellow arrows show usable energy flow, while red arrows indicate energy lost as unusable heat.
Matter Cycle
What are the most common elements in organic molecules?
carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur
traps the long wavelength radiations from the sun and prevents it from escaping into space, very much like the glass walls of a greenhouse, thus acting as a blanket over the planet and controlling the temperature of the earth.
Carbon dioxide
Who discovered
the carbon cycle in the 18th
century, which was later
popularized by Humphry
Davy.
Antoine Laviosier and Joseph Priestly
The circulation of carbon on earth in which atmospheric carbon dioxide is converted to organic nutrients photosynthesis through and is again converted back to the inorganic State by respiration, decay, or combustion.
carbon cycle
What are the human impacts on the carbon cycle?
overcutting of trees or deforestation
Combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gases
waste disposal
__________ is a colorless, odorless element. _________ is in the soil under our feet, in the water we drink, and in the air we breathe. In fact, ___________ is the most abundant element in Earth’s atmosphere: approximately 78%.
nitrogen
is a process where nitrogen changes into different forms, moving from the atmosphere to the soil, then to organisms, and back to the atmosphere. This cycle includes steps like nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, decay, and putrefaction.
nitrogen cycle
What are 5 main steps to the Nitrogen Cycle:
1.Nitrogen Fixation
2.Ammonification
3. Nitrification
4. Assimilation
5.Denitrification
What are nitrogen fixation?
Plants cannot use nitrogen in its gas form from the atmosphere so it must be transformed first. Bacteria transform nitrofen gas into ammonia which can be absorbed by plants
What is ammonification?
Decomposers like bacteria transform the nitrogen-containing parts of the organic matter (dead organisms and waste) into ammonia
