Cycles

Question 1

Water cycle

Answer 1

The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow.

Question 2

Evaporation

Answer 2

the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas or vapor.

Question 3

Transpiration

Answer 3

the evaporation of water through minute pores, or stomata, in the leaves of plants.

Question 4

Infiltration

Answer 4

The process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.

Question 5

Run-off

Answer 5

water “running off”, which means flowing along the land surface, from a high to low point.

Question 6

Precipitation

Answer 6

water released from clouds in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail.

Question 7

Condensation

Answer 7

the process by which water vapor (gas) in the air is changed into liquid water. Condensation is crucial to the water cycle because it is responsible for the formation of clouds.

Question 8

Groundwater

Answer 8

Water that infiltrates or seeps into the ground. Sometimes this water can flow out of the water, like a spring. Sometimes, this water can seep from the ground into a lake, pond, or ocean.

Question 9

Aquifer

Answer 9

Water deep underground can be stored for 1,000 years. It can be found in water-bearing, permeable rock.

Question 10

Atmosphere

Answer 10

The gas, (The air) surrounds the earth. 78% of the atmosphere is made up of Nitrogen or N2, this is an unusable form for most organisms.

Question 11

Nitrogen

Answer 11

An element that all living organisms require, (DNA, proteins, chlorophyll) however, cannot be used in the form that surrounds the

Question 12

Nitrogen fixation

Answer 12

The process of converting N2, unusable nitrogen, into biologically available nitrogen.

Question 13

Nitrification

Answer 13

There are two steps to nitrification. The first step is microbes change ammonia to nitrites (an unusable form of nitrogen for plants).The second step is is to change the nitrites into nitrates (a useable form of nitrogen for plants).

Question 14

Ammonification

Answer 14

When an organism dies or excretes waste, nitrogen is found in the amino acids or DNA. Fungi break down the nitrogen and release the nitrogen back into the ecosystem.

Question 15

Denitrification

Answer 15

The process that changes the nitrates into nitrogen gas (N2), back into an unusable form.

Question 16

Carbon Reservoir

Answer 16

a part of Earth that stores carbon.
Examples of carbon reservoirs include the atmosphere, the ocean, soils, sediments, and the biosphere.

Question 17

Carbon sink

Answer 17

a carbon reservoir that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and stores it for a long period of time.

Question 18

Photosynthesis

Answer 18

a process in which plants use energy from light to change carbon dioxide and water into glucose (sugar) and oxygen.

Question 19

Carbon cycle

Answer 19

The movement of carbon from reservoir to reservoir