nitrogen cycle

Question 1

Q1: What is the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 1

A1: The movement of nitrogen through air, soil, plants, animals, and back.

Question 2

Q2: Why is nitrogen important?

Answer 2

A2: It helps make proteins and DNA for growth.

Question 3

Q3: What percent of air is nitrogen gas (N₂)?

Answer 3

A3: 78%.

Question 4

Q4: Can plants use nitrogen gas directly?

Answer 4

A4: No, it must be converted first.

Question 5

Q5: What is nitrogen fixation?

Answer 5

A5: Turning nitrogen gas into usable forms like ammonia.

Question 6

Q6: What does nitrogen-fixing?

Answer 6

A6: Bacteria and lightning.

Question 7

Q7: What are nitrates?

Answer 7

A7: A form of nitrogen plants can absorb from soil.

Question 8

Q8: What is denitrification?

Answer 8

A8: When bacteria turn nitrates back into nitrogen gas.

Question 9

Q9: How do humans affect the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 9

A9: By using fertilizers and causing pollution.

Question 10

Q10: What happens if too much nitrogen enters water?

Answer 10

A10: It causes algae blooms, which harm ecosystems.

Question 11

What is ammonification?

Answer 11

A11: Decomposers turn dead plants and animals into ammonia.

Question 12

Q12: What is nitrification?

Answer 12

A12: Bacteria turn ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates.

Question 13

Q13: How do plants get nitrogen?

Answer 13

A13: They absorb nitrates from the soil.

Question 14

Q14: How do animals get nitrogen?

Answer 14

A14: By eating plants or other animals.

Question 15

Q15: What is the role of decomposers in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 15

A15: They break down dead matter, releasing nitrogen back into the soil.

Question 16

Q16: What happens if the nitrogen cycle is disrupted?

Answer 16

A16: It can cause soil nutrient loss or pollution problems like dead zones in water.

Question 17

Q17: What is a dead zone?

Answer 17

A17: An area in water with little oxygen caused by excess nitrogen.

Question 18

Q18: What do legumes (like beans) do in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 18

A18: They have nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots.

Question 19

Q19: What are the main processes of the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 19

A19: Nitrogen fixation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification.

Question 20

Q20: How does lightning help the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 20

A20: It converts nitrogen gas into forms plants can use.

Question 21

Q21: What human activities add nitrogen to the environment?

Answer 21

A21: Using fertilizers, burning fossil fuels, and farming livestock.

Question 22

Q22: How can we reduce nitrogen pollution?

Answer 22

A22: Use less fertilizer, plant cover crops, and manage animal waste properly.

Question 23

Q23: What is leaching?

Answer 23

A23: When nitrates are washed out of soil into water by rain.

Question 24

Q24: What is eutrophication?

Answer 24

A24: Excess nutrients like nitrogen in water causing algae growth and harming ecosystems.

Question 25

Q25: Why is too much nitrogen bad for ecosystems?

Answer 25

A25: It disrupts balance, harms plants, and kills animals by reducing oxygen in water.