Nitrogen Cycle! Flashcards
what are the INORGANIC forms of nitrogen?
Nitrogen gas (N2)
Nitrates (NO3-)
Nitrites (NO2-)
Ammonia (NH3)
Ammonium (NH4+).
- These are all nitrogen compounds WITHOUT carbon
what are the ORGANIC forms of nitrogen?
Amino acids
Proteins (chains of amino acids)
Nucleotides
Nucleic acids
And urea (“a substance formed by the breakdown of protein in the liver”).
- These are nitrogen compounds that contain carbon
________________________ Break the bond between the Nitrogen atoms in the atmosphere. Where are these located?
Nitrogen fixing bacteria
found in soils and root nodules of legume plants.
Nitrogen fixation yields ___________ and ____________, which is used by plants through assimilation.
Ammonia (NH3), Ammonium (NH4+)
What do Nitrifying Bacteria do?
Convert ammonia to nitrates (NO3-) and nitrites (NO2-) through nitrification.
Nitrification adds _________ to the ammonia, and occurs in the _____.
- oxygen
- soil
What do Denitrifying bacteria do?
return nitrogen to the atmosphere through denitrification.
Describe the process of denitrification
Nitrates are converted back into nitrogen gas, and released back into the atmosphere.
what else besides nitrifying bacteria can create nitrates and how?
Lightning contains enough energy to break apart nitrogen bonds when it strikes. N then attaches to oxygen atoms in the atmosphere creating nitrates, making lightning a natural fertilizer.
Why do fertilizers disrupt the Nitrogen cycle?
Fertilizers contain a lot of nitrogen. Excess nitrogen can wash away from agricultural runoff, and into bodies of water, causing algal blooms. This is when extreme amounts of algae is produced in one area, where they deplete the water of oxygen, killing the organisms that live there.
How does burning Fuel affect the nitrogen cycle?
As a fossil fuel, nitrogen is burned industrially for energy. this causes an excess of nitrogen in the atmosphere, which can form into “acid rain”.
what are some ways to mitigate the harmful impact of human activity on the nitrogen cycle?
- Use less fertilizer
- Plant more plants that “fix” nitrogen
- take care of wetlands and forests
What makes the nitrogen cycle different from other cycles?
no step is completed without the help of living organisms.
What are the nitrogen reservoirs?
Macromolecules: protein and Nucleic acids)
atmosphere in the form of gas (N2)
fossil fuels
waste
soil
