Hydrologic Cycle, Carbon Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle
. What living organism plays a big role in adding atmospheric nitrogen to the soil?
bacteria
What two processes fuel the carbon cycle?
cellular respiration and photosynthesis
In most ecosystems, nitrogen is primarily stored in living and dead organic matter. This nitrogen must be chemically modified from ammonia (NH3 ) to ammonium salts (NH4+ ) in the soil, so that it may be once again incorporated into plant tissues. This conversion is carried out by bacteria and fungi through the process of
decomposition
snow hail sleet rain These are all a source of __________ on the Earth
water
When deforestation occurs in an area, what immediate effect does this have on the water cycle?
More runoff water is created, and less is returned to the atmosphere
In the carbon cycle, carbon is transferred from animals to decomposers in all of the following ways EXCEPT
as carbon dioxide.
What is the correct sequence of events in the nitrogen cycle?
atmospheric nitrogen→bacteria→plants→animals
78% of Earth's atmosphere is nitrogen gas. All living things need nitrogen as a part of DNA and RNA. Yet you and I, and other living things, cannot use the nitrogen in our atmosphere directly. One type of organism is responsible for "fixing" nitrogen or helping to put it in a form so other living things can use it. That organism is
bacteria
What type of organism converts nitrogen into a usable form for plants?
bacteria
in order to be made available to life forms on Earth, nitrogen must be fixed or covered into a usable form by lightning strikes or
bacteria
The burning of fossil fuels by cars and factories has most affected the ______________ cycle.
carbon
clouds form in the air due to what process
condensation
When water evaporates, energy is removed and ____________
cools the environment
Much like the carbon cycle, the recycling of nitrogen through Earth's spheres relies heavily on what type of organism?
decomposers
Humans add greatly to the carbon cycle by
driving cars.
lists the water cycle in order
evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff/storage
Following the evaporation stage of the water cycle, the evaporated water
forms clouds
Burning of fossil fuels has changed the atmosphere by
increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide.
Under drought conditions, a likely change in the water cycle would be
less groundwater accumulates
What is the common name of this gas, N2, the most prevalent in our atmosphere?
nitrogen
Without heat from the Sun, the water cycle would
not work
What is a reason for the rise of nitrate levels in ground water?
overuse of fertilizers
The process of respiration is essential in the oxygen/carbon dioxide cycle. Respiration removes ______ from the atmosphere and produces and releases ______ to the atmosphere.
oxygen, carbon dioxide
CO2 is returned to the atmosphere by all methods EXCEPT
photosynthesis
During the water cycle, the sun's energy evaporates water from the surface of Earth. This water is the source of
precipitation.
During the water cycle, the sun's energy evaporates water from the surface of Earth. This water returns to Earth as some form of
precipitation.
All of the listed human actions affect the nitrogen cycle with the exception of the
runoff of pesticides into streams and lakes
Most of the earth's surface is covered with
salt water
Groundwater moves from the ground through plants and then back into the atmosphere through the process of
transpiration
Precipitation and evaporation are important components of the
water cycle
During a summer of extreme drought, what can we expect to happen to the surface ground water stored in ponds and lakes?
water levels will decrease because there is more evaporation and transpiration
. During an extreme rainy season, what can we expect to happen to the surface ground water stored in ponds and lakes?
water levels will increase because there is more precipitation
The dominant gas in the atmosphere that forms clouds is
water vapor
What cycle is most affected by the over-use of ammonia fertilizers on commercial farms, as well as by the accumulation of waste on cattle farms and feed lots?
Nitrogen Cycle
In the water cycle, water vapor evaporates into the atmosphere and forms clouds through condensation. What happens in the atmosphere to the water in order for the clouds to form?
The evaporated water cools and drops get closer together.