Cycles Flashcards
What are the three cycles?
water, carbon, nitrogen
What are the 5 steps of carbon cycle?
fossilization, combustion, respiration, photosynthesis, feeding and assimilation
What is fossilization?
when dead organisms do not decay fully, fossil fuel is formed
What is combustion?
fossil fuels burn and release carbon dioxide into their air
What is photosynthesis?
fixes the carbon atoms in carbon dioxide into organic compounds
What is feeding and assimilation?
pass the carbon atoms inside organic compounds along food chains
What is respiration?
organic compounds are broken down to release energy and produces inorganic carbon dioxide
What is nitrogen cycle?
processes needed for organisms to be able to use atomispheric nitrogen
What are the four process of nitrogen cycle?
nitrogen fixation, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification
What is nitrogen fixation?
nitrogen gets fixed when combined with oxygen or hydrogen
What are the three ways of nitrogen fixation?
atmospheric fixation, industrial fixation, biological fixation
What are the steps for atmospheric fixation?
nitrogen combines with oxygen - nitrogen oxides form - nitrogen oxides dissolve in rain and produce nitrates - plants use nitrates
What are the steps for atmospheric fixation?
nitrogen combines with oxygen - nitrogen oxides form - nitrogen oxides dissolve in rain and produce nitrates - plants use nitrates
What is industrial fixation?
the ability for atomospheric nitrogen and hydrogen to form ammonia
What is needed for industrial fixation?
great pressure, temperature at 600 degrees C, and use of a catalyst
What is biological fixation?
free-living bacteria/nitrogen-fixing bacteria have the ability to combine atmospheric nitrogen with hydrogen to make ammonia
What are the two important processes needed for cycling nitrogen through the ecosystem?
feeding and assimilation: passing nitrogen already in organic compounds along food chains
decompostion: decomposers produce ammonia from proteins, DNA, and vitamins.
What is ammonification?
free living nitrogen fixing bacteria have the ability to convert nitrogen gas into ammonia.
What is nitrification?
when ammonia from ammonification is oxidized to nitrite, then to nitrate
What is denitrification?
uses the nitrate made in nitrification and convrets it into nitrogen gas
What are the 5 steps in water cycle?
evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff
What is evaporation?
when the sun heats up the water and it evaporates into water vapour
What is transpiration?
when water from the plants in the soil give off water vapour which is taken up the atmosphere to the clouds
What is condensation?
when water vapour from transpiration and evaporation condenses into clouds by cooler temperatures
What is precipitation?
when the water vapour and cloud particles get too heavy so they fall as liquid rain, snow or hail.
What is runoff?
when the water from precipitation falls down to the land and flows down to the ocean
