biogeochemical cycle
What term refers to the continuous movement of elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus through the Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere?
Biogeochemical cycle
What is the term for the process in the water cycle where liquid water is turned into water vapor due to the sun's heat?
evaporation
the process in the nitrogen cycle that involves bacteria converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium or nitrates that plants can absorb.
nitrogen fixation
Which cycle describes the movement of phosphorus through the environment, mainly in the form of rocks, soil, and living organisms?
phosphorus cycle
the process in the carbon-oxygen cycle in which plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into organic molecules using sunlight.
photosynthesis
Which process in the biogeochemical cycle involves the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use, typically by nitrogen-fixing bacteria?
nitrogen fixation
Which process in the water cycle involves water vapor cooling and condensing into clouds?
condensation
the process in the nitrogen cycle that involves bacteria converting nitrates into nitrogen gas, releasing it back into the atmosphere.
denitrification
What process in the phosphorus cycle involves the weathering of rocks to release phosphorus into the soil and water?
weathering
In the carbon-oxygen cycle, ________ is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
oxygen
What term is used for the process where elements are recycled back into the environment through decomposition of organic matter?
decomposition
What term is used when water falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail?
precipitation
the process by which nitrogen compounds from decaying organic matter are converted into usable forms for plants.
ammonification
In the phosphorus cycle, how does phosphorus enter the food web?
through plants
involves the breakdown of organic materials by organisms to release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.
respiration
Which cycle involves the movement of elements between living organisms and the non-living environment, such as water, air, and soil?
biogeochemical cycle
In the water cycle, what process describes water being absorbed by soil and filtering down to replenish groundwater?
infiltration
the process in the nitrogen cycle that involves the conversion of ammonium into nitrates by bacteria in the soil.
nitrification
What term describes the process by which plants absorb phosphorus from the soil for growth?
assimilation
_______ returns to the atmosphere after being absorbed by plants during photosynthesis through respiration by plants, animals, and decomposers.
Carbon dioxide
What term describes the process by which plants take up inorganic nutrients, such as phosphorus or nitrogen, from the soil for growth?
assimilation
What process in the water cycle involves water moving through plant leaves into the atmosphere?
transpiration
play a critical role in nitrogen fixation, converting atmospheric nitrogen into forms usable by plants.
nitrogen-fixing bacteria
What is the primary way phosphorus is returned to the soil and water in the phosphorus cycle?
decomposition
Animals play a key role in the carbon-oxygen cycle by _______ carbon dioxide through respiration.
exhaling