Water Cycle
What is wrong with atmospheric nitrogen?
Most living things are unable to use it.
Through this "sphere", biosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, or hydrosphere, matter cycles the most slowly.
What is the geosphere.
The majority of the phosphorus in the world is stored in this.
What is rock?
Which biological process do plants use to take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and build sugars?
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which water becomes groundwater and joins an aquifer.
What is percolation? (or infiltration or seepage)
Who "fixes" the nitrogen into a form that we can use?
What is bacteria (either in the soil or in the roots of legumes).
This biogeochemical cycle allows for the transport of hydrogen and oxygen around the globe.
What is the water cycle.
Three phosphate groups are included in this molecule, the energy currency of the cell.
ATP
These are two ways that carbon is released into the atmosphere using biological processes.
What are cellular respiration and decomposition?
Animals get most of the nitrogen they need by doing this.
What is "consuming plants or other animals that have the nitrogen"?
This term refers to the nutrient or resource that determines the maximum number of individuals that the environment can support.
What is a limiting nutrient or limiting factor.
This must happen to rock in order for plants to have access to the phosphorus within them.
What is weathering and erosion?
This process allows carbon dioxide to dissolve into the ocean from the atmosphere. It moves from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.
What is diffusion?
This process within the water cycle is considered "biological".
What is transpiration or photosynthesis?
Adding excess nitrogen to a body of water would have this effect on the algae population.
Temporary boom, followed by overshoot and die-off
Humans have the largest impact on these two cycles when they use fertilizer for agriculture.
What are the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles?
Humans mine phosphate containing rock to get raw materials for these important chemicals.
What are fertilizers?
This is how herbivores and carnivores get the carbon that they need.
What is "by consuming plants and/or animals that have carbon"?
Nitrogen is used in the body to make these two macromolecules.
What are DNA and proteins?
This process adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere that was previously stored in the geosphere for millions of years.
What is fossil fuel combustion?
Phosphorus is returned to the rock cycle from plants and animals by this process.
What is dead animals/plants breaking down, becoming sediment, and gradually hardening into rock?
This "sphere" represents the largest store of carbon.
What is the geosphere?