Water Cycle
This process happens when the sun heats liquid water and turns it into vapor.
What is evaporation?
This process converts nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into a form plants can use, often with the help of bacteria.
What is nitrogen fixation?
This cycle moves an important nutrient through rocks soil and living things but does not include the atmosphere.
What is the phosphorus cycle?
This process used by plants removes carbon dioxide from the air and turns it into glucose.
What is photosynthesis?
This step of the water cycle forms clouds when water vapor cools down.
What is condensation?
Lightning can naturally perform this process by breaking apart nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere and helping form nitrates.
What is nitrogen fixation?
This process releases phosphorus from rocks when rain wind and weather break them down.
What is weathering?
Humans and animals release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere during this process.
What is respiration?
Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are all examples of this stage of the cycle.
What is precipitation?
Plants absorb nitrates from the soil during this stage of the nitrogen cycle.
What is assimilation?
Plants take in phosphorus from this source absorbing it through their roots.
What is the soil?
Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil releases large amounts of carbon dioxide in this process.
What is combustion?
This part of the water cycle occurs when water soaks into the ground to become groundwater.
What is infiltration?
This process happens when bacteria break down dead plants and animals and release ammonia back into the soil.
What is ammonification?
When animals and plants die this process returns phosphorus to the soil.
What is decomposition?
When dead plants and animals break down this process returns carbon to the soil and air.
What is decomposition?
This continuous movement of water between land, oceans, and the atmosphere is known by this name.
What is the water cycle?
This final step returns nitrogen from the soil back into the atmosphere.
What is denitrification?
Too much phosphorus washing into lakes and rivers can cause this overgrowth of algae.
What is eutrophication?
Oceans absorb large amounts of carbon in this role making them one of Earth’s biggest carbon reservoirs.
What is carbon sequestration in the ocean?