Science Ch 5 Section 2 The Cycling of Matter

Some carbon is stored in _______, forming one of the largest "carbon sinks" on Earth.

limestone

Fossil fuels store carbon left over from organisms that died ________ of years ago.

millions

The bacteria use _______ provided by the legumes to produce nitrogen containing compounds such as ______.

nitrates

The ___________ cycle is the process in which nitrogen circulates among the air, soil, water, plants, and animals in an ecosystem.

nitrogen

After decomposers return nitrogen to the soil, bacteria transform a small amount of the nitrogen into _____ ___, which then returns to the atmosphere to complete the _______ _______.

nitrogen gas, nitrogen cycle

Carbon is stored in the bodies of __________ as fat, oils, or other molecules, may be released into the ______ or _____ when the organisms dies.

organisms, soil, air

The _________ cycle is the cyclic movement of phosphorus from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment.

phosphorus

Producers convert carbon dioxide in the atmosphere into carbohydrates during ____________.

photosynthesis

All organisms need nitrogen to build _______, which are used to build new cells.

protein

Carbon is the essential component of ________, ________, and __________ which make up all organisms.

proteins, fats, carbohydrates

Plants absorb phosphates in the soil through their _____.

roots

Excessive amounts of fertilizer can enter terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems through _____.

runoff

Because many phosphate salts are not soluble in water, they sink to the bottom and accumulate as __________.

sediment

Excess nitrogen fixed by the bacteria is released into the ________.

soil

Some phosphorus washes off the land and ends up in the ____ _____.

water system

Nitrogen makes up _______% of the gases in the atmosphere.

78

________ break down the decaying plants and animals, as well as plant and animal ______.

Decomposers, waste

Plants get the phosphorus they need from _____ and _____, while animals get their phosphorous by _______ ___ or other animals that have eaten plants.

air, water, eating plants

Carbon exists in ________, ________, and ________ organisms.

air, water, living

Excessive nitrogen and phosphorous can cause rapid growth of ______.

algae

Nitrogen fixing bacteria are bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ________.

ammonia

Only a few species of ________, can fix atmospheric nitrogen into chemical compounds that can be used by other organisms. These bacteria are known as ______ ______ _______.

bacteria, nitrogen fixing bacteria

These bacteria live in nodules on the roots of plants called legumes, which include______, _______, and _______.

beans, peas, clover

Humans _____ fossil fuels, releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

burn

The carbon cycle is the movement of _______ from _______ environment into _________ things and back to the environment.

carbon, living, non-living

During _________ ____________, some of the carbon is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

cellular respiration

Increased levels of carbon dioxide contribute to _______ change.

climate

Excess algae can ________ an aquatic ecosystem of important nutrients such as oxygen, on which fish and other aquatic organisms depend.

depletes

Nitrogen stored within the _______ of living things is returned to the nitrogen cycle once those organisms ____.

die

Consumers obtain carbon from carbohydrates in the producers they _______.

eat

Phosphorus is an _______ that is part of many molecules that make up the cells of living organisms.

element

Phosphorus may enter soil and water when rocks ______. Small amounts of phosphorus dissolve as phosphate, which moves into soil, water, and groundwater.

erode

_________ which people use to stimulate and maximize plant growth, contain both _______ and _________.

fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphorus

Nitrogen must be altered, or ____, before organisms can use it.

fixed

These molecules may form deposits of coal, oil, or natural gas, which are known as ______ ______.

fossil fuels

Carbon dioxide is a _________ ________ along with water vapor and other gases.

greenhouse gas

Greenhouse gases absorb and reradiate infrared energy, _______ Earth.

warming