1: What percent of nitrogen and phosphorus are in an animal’s body? Note: We are considered animals too!
Animals are 3% nitrogen and 1% phosphorus.
2: What do we need Nitrogen to make?
We need nitrogen to make proteins and DNA.
3: What do we need Phosphorus to make?
We need phosphorus to make DNA.
The Nitrogen Cycle
4: What percentage of the atmosphere is Nitrogen? What form is atmospheric Nitrogen in?
The atmosphere is 78% nitrogen.
5: What is the chemical formula for Nitrate? Nitrite? Ammonium?
Nitrate- NO3
Nitrite- NO2
Ammonium- NH4
6: What is Nitrogen Fixation?
Nitrogen fixation is a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonium
7: What are Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria?
Nitrogen fixing bacteria are bacteria that can turn nitrogen into the form plants need it.
8: What plants are in the Legumes Family? What does it mean that they form a symbiotic relationship?
Soy beans, clovers, peanuts, and more are in the Legumes family. Forming a symbiotic relationship means that the bacteria hand out near the root nodule of plants.
9: What form of Nitrogen is usable by plants? What enzyme makes it useful?
Ammonium is useable by plants. Nitrogenase is the enzyme that makes it useful.
10: What does Nitrifying bacteria do?
Nitrifying bacteria convert Ammonium into Nitrites and Nitrates.
11: What other things can break Nitrogen molecules apart?
Lightning and synthetic fertilizers can break nitrogen molecules apart.
12: What is Denitrifying bacteria? Which enzyme does this?
Denitrifying bacteria is a type of bacteria that is free living. It is a soil bacteria that reduces nitrates to nitrogen gas.
The Phosphorus Cycle
13: What is special about the Phosphorus Cycle?
The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
14: What is the Lithosphere? What special type of rock is rich in Phosphorus?
The Lithosphere is the Earth's crust. Sedimentary rocks are rich in Phosphorus.
15: What is a lithotroph?
A lithotroph is a rock-eating bacteria.
16: How do Phosphates end up in the water? In the Soil?
Phosphates end up in the water by rocks eroding and dissolving. Phosphates end up in the soil by decomposers.
17: A single Phosphorus atom can get trapped in a cycle for how long?
A single Phosphorus atom can get trapped in a cycle for 100,000 years.
18: Diagram the Phosphorus Cycle below:
Animals are 3% nitrogen and 1% phosphorus.
2: What do we need Nitrogen to make?
We need nitrogen to make proteins and DNA.
3: What do we need Phosphorus to make?
We need phosphorus to make DNA.
The Nitrogen Cycle
4: What percentage of the atmosphere is Nitrogen? What form is atmospheric Nitrogen in?
The atmosphere is 78% nitrogen.
5: What is the chemical formula for Nitrate? Nitrite? Ammonium?
Nitrate- NO3
Nitrite- NO2
Ammonium- NH4
6: What is Nitrogen Fixation?
Nitrogen fixation is a process by which nitrogen in the atmosphere is converted into ammonium
7: What are Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria?
Nitrogen fixing bacteria are bacteria that can turn nitrogen into the form plants need it.
8: What plants are in the Legumes Family? What does it mean that they form a symbiotic relationship?
Soy beans, clovers, peanuts, and more are in the Legumes family. Forming a symbiotic relationship means that the bacteria hand out near the root nodule of plants.
9: What form of Nitrogen is usable by plants? What enzyme makes it useful?
Ammonium is useable by plants. Nitrogenase is the enzyme that makes it useful.
10: What does Nitrifying bacteria do?
Nitrifying bacteria convert Ammonium into Nitrites and Nitrates.
11: What other things can break Nitrogen molecules apart?
Lightning and synthetic fertilizers can break nitrogen molecules apart.
12: What is Denitrifying bacteria? Which enzyme does this?
Denitrifying bacteria is a type of bacteria that is free living. It is a soil bacteria that reduces nitrates to nitrogen gas.
The Phosphorus Cycle
13: What is special about the Phosphorus Cycle?
The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
14: What is the Lithosphere? What special type of rock is rich in Phosphorus?
The Lithosphere is the Earth's crust. Sedimentary rocks are rich in Phosphorus.
15: What is a lithotroph?
A lithotroph is a rock-eating bacteria.
16: How do Phosphates end up in the water? In the Soil?
Phosphates end up in the water by rocks eroding and dissolving. Phosphates end up in the soil by decomposers.
17: A single Phosphorus atom can get trapped in a cycle for how long?
A single Phosphorus atom can get trapped in a cycle for 100,000 years.
18: Diagram the Phosphorus Cycle below:
19: What are the main ingredients in fertilizers?
Ingredients in a fertilizer include Nitrogen, Phosphate, & Potassium
20: Why is too much of Nitrogen and Phosphorus bad for the environment?
The overabundance of certain nutrients in water can cause a number of adverse health and ecological effects.
Ingredients in a fertilizer include Nitrogen, Phosphate, & Potassium
20: Why is too much of Nitrogen and Phosphorus bad for the environment?
The overabundance of certain nutrients in water can cause a number of adverse health and ecological effects.