carbon, nitrogen, and water cycle studying Flashcards
Which element is the perfect building block for life?
Carbon
Carbon allows bonding in how many directions?
What does this help build?
4 directions, 3D shapes
How much of your body is made up of carbon?
18.5%
Name two examples of organisms made of carbon.
Plants & Animals
What does carbon in the air take the form of?
Carbon Dioxide
What is carbon dioxide good at trapping?
What does this cause?
Heat, Greenhouse Gas Effect
What do plants absorb carbon dioxide for?
Photosynthesis
What is carbon a waste product of?
Cellular Respiration
Why is carbon in the ground?
When bodies decompose, their carbon is released into the soil.
What can built up carbon that is underground turn into?
Fossil Fuels like coal, oil, & gas
How does carbon get into the ocean?
Diffusion
What is carbon used for in the ocean?
photosynthesis & biomass
What element is most common in the Earth’s atmosphere?
Nitrogen
What percent of what we breathe is nitrogen?
78%
What does nitrogen help to build?
What does this allow our cells to do?
Cells, Function
What is nitrogen necessary to build?
DNA Molecules
What is a constantly occurring and repeating cycle in nitrogen moves through environment?
The Nitrogen Cycle
In Nitrogen Fixation, where does nitrogen move through?
From the Atmosphere to Plants
How must nitrogen be fixed so that plants can use it?
Through Bacteria or Lighting
What is the process of fixing nitrogen that’s found in organic matter so that plants can use it?
Mineralization
What is nitrification?
The process in which ammonia in the soil is converted into compounds called nitrites.
What is Immobilization?
When microorganisms in the soil also absorb nitrogen making it unavailable for plants.
What is Denitrification?
When nitrogen returns to the air after being converted by bacteria.
What is Evaporation?
The process by which liquid water becomes water vapor when heated.
