Biogeochemical Cycles

Front

What is the largest reservoir for nitrogen?

Back

The atmosphere.

Front

Which process is responsible for the release of oxygen into the atmosphere?

Back

Photosynthesis.

Front

What is the primary role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?

Back

Convert nitrogen gas into ammonia.

Front

The carbon in coal, oil, and natural gas came from?

Back

The remains of dead organisms.

Front

According to the diagram, geologic activity, such as volcanoes, does what to CO2 levels?

Back

Increases the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Front

What is a biogeochemical cycle?

Back

A natural process that recycles nutrients in various chemical forms from the environment to organisms and back to the environment.

Front

What is nitrogen fixation?

Back

The process of converting nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonia or related compounds in soil.

Front

What role do decomposers play in the carbon cycle?

Back

They break down dead organisms, returning carbon to the soil and atmosphere.

Front

What is the greenhouse effect?

Back

The warming of Earth’s surface due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Front

What is photosynthesis?

Back

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.