Cycles in Nature Vocabulary

Question 1

Water Cycle

Answer 1

the cycle of processes by which water circulates between the earth’s oceans, atmosphere, and land, involving precipitation as rain and snow, drainage in streams and rivers, and return to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration.

Question 2

Evaporation

Answer 2

the process of water turning from liquid into vapor.

Question 3

Transpiration

Answer 3

(of a plant or leaf) the release of water vapor through the stomata (leaf.)

Question 4

Run off

Answer 4

water moves across/over the ground into various waterways. Occurs when there is excessive precipitation and the ground is saturated (cannot absorb any more water).

Question 5

Precipitation

Answer 5

Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow.

Question 6

Condensation

Answer 6

Water vapor in the air cools as it rises up and changes back into liquid form, forming clouds.

Question 7

Carbon cycle

Answer 7

nature’s way of reusing carbon atoms, which travel from the atmosphere into organisms in the Earth and then back into the atmosphere over and over again.

Question 8

Decomposition

Answer 8

when an animal dies, their remains breakdown, and it becomes sediment, trapping the stored carbon in layers that eventually turn into rock or minerals.

Question 9

Nitrogen cycle

Answer 9

a repeating cycle of processes during which nitrogen moves through both living and nonliving things: the atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals and bacteria.

Question 10

Nitrogen Fixation

Answer 10

the process that causes the strong two-atom nitrogen molecules found in the atmosphere to break apart so they can combine with other atoms.

Question 11

Ammonification

Answer 11

Decomposition by bacteria and fungi break down amino acids from dead animals and waste into ammonia.

Question 12

Nitrification

Answer 12

Nitrifying bacteria in the ground first combine ammonia with oxygen to form nitrites. Then another group of nitrifying bacteria convert nitrites and nitrates, which green plants can absorb and use.

Question 13

Assimilation

Answer 13

the process by which plants and animals incorporate (use) the NO3- and ammonia formed through nitrogen fixation and nitrification.

Question 14

Denitrification

Answer 14

Denitrification converts nitrates (NO3) in the soil to atmospheric nitrogen (N2) replenishing the atmosphere.