Phosphorous Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
The Water Cycle
The Nitrogen Cycle
Complex Questions
100
How is the phosphorus cycle different from other cycles?
Phosphorus doesn’t enter the atmosphere.
100
What is released as a waste product of cellular respiration?
CO2
100
How does water enter into the atmosphere?
evaporation
100

Can we use nitrogen from the atmosphere as it is?

No. The triple bonded nitrogen is not something we can use until it is "fixed".

100
Explain the connection between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Both are involved in the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis allows autotrophs to take in carbon dioxide to produce glucose. Cellular respiration breaks down the glucose to produce ATP and carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere as a waste product. Their equations are also opposite.
200

What sphere does the phosphorus cycle not enter?

atmosphere

200
What is the name of the process in which carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
200
When water condenses, _____________ is formed.
precipitation
200
What types of organisms can fix nitrogen? From what form to what form?
nitrogen fixing bacteria, N2 to NO3
200
Why do farmers rotate their crops?
Some plants, like corn and rice, are nitrogen lovers and extract the majority of the nitrogen from the soil. Farmers will then plant a legume such as soybeans or cowpeas to replace the lost nitrogen.
300

How does phosphorous get back into the geosphere?

sedimentation on the sea floor

300
What types of organisms are able to remove carbon dioxide from the environment?
Plants/autotrophs
300
Storm water that picks up pollutants and then flows into a body of water is called __________.
runoff
300

How are bacteria the kings of this cycle?

They can change nitrogen into many different forms, and different organisms can use the nitrogen like that. They also return the nitrogen to gas. 

300
How are fossil fuels contributing to the carbon cycle?
They release huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when they are burned.
400
Why do we need phosphorus? In what form is it uptaken by consumers? How is it expelled?
DNA! PO4 from plants, PO4 in urine!
400
How do consumers take in their carbon compounds?
Eating.
400
What is the gaseous form of water called?
water vapor
400

What percentage of the air is nitrogen?

78%. It is the largest sink or reservoir for nitrogen.

400
How are humans affecting the water cycle?
deforestation, irrigation, urban sprawl, damming rivers
500

How do humans disrupt the Phosphorous cycle?

Add too much fertilizer, runoff

500
How are the overall chemical equations for photosynthesis and cellular respiration similar?
They are opposites, the products in photosynthesis are the reactants in cellular respiration and vice versa.
500
What is the energy source that drives the water cycle?
Heat from the sun (solar energy) causes water to evaporate
500
What types of plants contain root nodules with nitrogen fixing bacteria in them?
legumes- peas beans and clover
500
What are the three ways in which atmospheric nitrogen can be fixed into soluble compounds that plants can take in?
nitrogen fixing bacteria, lightening, humans taking it to make fertilizer
M
e
n
u