Biology 2.3 Flashcards
Energy flows + nutrient cycle
Phosphorus cycles
Matter
Anything that: (3)
a) takes up space
b) has mass
c) provides nutrients needed for organisms to function
Nutrients
A chemical substance that an organism must obtain from its environment to sustain life + undergo life processes.
Phosphorus cycle: short-term
Cycled from soil –> producers –> consumers
Phosphorus cycle: long-term
Weathering/erosion of rocks that contain phosphorus –> slowly adds it to cycle
Evaporation converts . . .
Liquid –> gas
Condensation converts . . .
Gas –> liquid
Why is carbon important to living organisms?
Atoms of CO2 are the foundation for important molecules like carbs, fat, and glucose
How is carbon returned to the atmosphere?
a) autotrophs + heterotrophs release Co2 during cellular respiration
b) fossil fuels are burned
In what form is nitrogen present in the atmosphere (its reservoir)?
Gas
Which process removes nitrogen from its reservoir and converts it into a usable form?
Nitrogen fixation
Which process converts nitrates into the soil back into the atmosphere?
Denitrification
Photosynthesis equation
CO2 + water –> glucose + O2
What happens to the products of photosynthesis: oxygen and glucose?
Oxygen: released to the atmosphere
Glucose: used for energy
