Carbon Cycle:
1. Draw the carbon cycle (on a separate piece of paper)
1. Draw the carbon cycle (on a separate piece of paper)
2. How does carbon exist in the atmosphere?
Carbon exists in the atmosphere with oxygen that combine to make CO2 which is carbon dioxide
3. How are fossil fuels created? Explain.
Fossil fuels are created by the leftovers of dead animals and plants that get buried deep underneath the ground as carbon for millions of years.
4. Describe two ways that carbon enters the atmosphere.
Carbon can enter the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, and us humans inhaling oxygen and then exhaling CO2
5. How are the oceans involved in the carbon cycle?
Oceans soak up CO2 from the atmosphere
6. How is the temperature of the Earth partly controlled by carbon?
Carbon is a green house gas it traps heat in the atmosphere. The earth would be frozen without green house gases
7. What role do rocks have within the carbon cycle?
Weathering rocks add carbon onto surface water and then the ocean
8. Where are you starting within the carbon cycle?
As a fossil fuel underground
9. How much of the atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide (CO2)?
0.04% of the atmosphere is made of CO2
10. By how much has CO2 increased in the atmosphere during the past 150 years?
CO2 increased 30% in the atmosphere during the past 150 years.
11. Next stop = _____Surface ocean____
What did you learn? That the ocean absorbs more CO2 then the atmosphere does
12. Next stop = _____Deep ocean________
What did you learn? That the deep ocean accounts for more than 65% of earths carbon
The deep ocean accounts for more than 65% of the Earth’s carbon. How much carbon does the surface ocean absorb from the atmosphere each year?
It absorbs 90 gigatons
True or False: When plants die and decay, they bring carbon into soil.
True
13. Next stop = ____Land plants______
What did you learn? Plants are able to grow faster as more carbon is added to our atmosphere
14. Next stop = ________Soil________
What did you learn? Soil stores about 3% of Earths carbon
15. Next stop = _______Marine life_______
What did you learn?
High levels of Carbons dissolved in the water is harmful to marine organisms like Algae, Corals, and Mollusks.
When carbon enters the deep ocean, how long does it stay there?
It stays for hundreds of years
True or False: Phytoplankton are tiny plants and algae that float in the ocean and take up carbon dioxide as they grow.
True
True or False: Plants both absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release it into the atmosphere.
True
Nitrogen Cycle:
16. What are the two conditions under which nitrogen will react with oxygen? (In other words, what is necessary for nitrogen in the air to combine with oxygen?)
The two conditions which nitrogen will react with oxygen is in high temperatures and pressures found near lightning bolts
17. What are the two compounds that are formed when nitrogen combines with oxygen?
Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
18. How does nitric acid (HNO3) form?
HNO3 forms when nitrogen dioxide reacts with water in rain
19. Why is nitric acid (HNO3) important?
Plants may use it for nutrients
20. What percentage of the air we breathe is nitrogen?
The percentage of nitrogen we breathe is 79%
21. Even though considerable nitrogen is available in the air, most plants do not use the nitrogen (N2) found in the air. Why not?
Because plants must secure their nitrogen in "fixed forms".
22. In what compounds can plants use nitrogen?
Nitrate ions (NO-3), ammonia (NH3), and urea (NH2)2CO
23. How do animals get the nitrogen they need?
By feeding off plants
24. Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is pretty inert. This means that it does not easily break apart. When molecules do not break apart easily, it is difficult (or impossible) for organisms to use them as a nutrient source. As a result, nitrogen fixation is the term used to describe the process of breaking up N2.
a. What is atmospheric fixation?
High energy of lightning breaking nitrogen molecules apart and enabling their atoms to combine with oxygen to form nitrogen oxide.
b. What is industrial fixation? [This is how artificial fertilizers are made.]When nitrogen is at 600 degrees Celsius combined with nitrogen, catalyst, and hydrogen to make ammonia that can be used as a fertilizer
c. What is biological fixation? (In your answer, describe the types of plants associated with the symbiotic relationship.)
Fixing nitrogen through bacteria and archaea, that later have relationships with plants.
25. Draw the nitrogen cycle: On a separate piece of paper: (Remember there are other diagrams on the previous websites.) If you’re not sure what a term means, look through the reading and links for help.
Carbon exists in the atmosphere with oxygen that combine to make CO2 which is carbon dioxide
3. How are fossil fuels created? Explain.
Fossil fuels are created by the leftovers of dead animals and plants that get buried deep underneath the ground as carbon for millions of years.
4. Describe two ways that carbon enters the atmosphere.
Carbon can enter the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, and us humans inhaling oxygen and then exhaling CO2
5. How are the oceans involved in the carbon cycle?
Oceans soak up CO2 from the atmosphere
6. How is the temperature of the Earth partly controlled by carbon?
Carbon is a green house gas it traps heat in the atmosphere. The earth would be frozen without green house gases
7. What role do rocks have within the carbon cycle?
Weathering rocks add carbon onto surface water and then the ocean
8. Where are you starting within the carbon cycle?
As a fossil fuel underground
9. How much of the atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide (CO2)?
0.04% of the atmosphere is made of CO2
10. By how much has CO2 increased in the atmosphere during the past 150 years?
CO2 increased 30% in the atmosphere during the past 150 years.
11. Next stop = _____Surface ocean____
What did you learn? That the ocean absorbs more CO2 then the atmosphere does
12. Next stop = _____Deep ocean________
What did you learn? That the deep ocean accounts for more than 65% of earths carbon
The deep ocean accounts for more than 65% of the Earth’s carbon. How much carbon does the surface ocean absorb from the atmosphere each year?
It absorbs 90 gigatons
True or False: When plants die and decay, they bring carbon into soil.
True
13. Next stop = ____Land plants______
What did you learn? Plants are able to grow faster as more carbon is added to our atmosphere
14. Next stop = ________Soil________
What did you learn? Soil stores about 3% of Earths carbon
15. Next stop = _______Marine life_______
What did you learn?
High levels of Carbons dissolved in the water is harmful to marine organisms like Algae, Corals, and Mollusks.
When carbon enters the deep ocean, how long does it stay there?
It stays for hundreds of years
True or False: Phytoplankton are tiny plants and algae that float in the ocean and take up carbon dioxide as they grow.
True
True or False: Plants both absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release it into the atmosphere.
True
Nitrogen Cycle:
16. What are the two conditions under which nitrogen will react with oxygen? (In other words, what is necessary for nitrogen in the air to combine with oxygen?)
The two conditions which nitrogen will react with oxygen is in high temperatures and pressures found near lightning bolts
17. What are the two compounds that are formed when nitrogen combines with oxygen?
Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
18. How does nitric acid (HNO3) form?
HNO3 forms when nitrogen dioxide reacts with water in rain
19. Why is nitric acid (HNO3) important?
Plants may use it for nutrients
20. What percentage of the air we breathe is nitrogen?
The percentage of nitrogen we breathe is 79%
21. Even though considerable nitrogen is available in the air, most plants do not use the nitrogen (N2) found in the air. Why not?
Because plants must secure their nitrogen in "fixed forms".
22. In what compounds can plants use nitrogen?
Nitrate ions (NO-3), ammonia (NH3), and urea (NH2)2CO
23. How do animals get the nitrogen they need?
By feeding off plants
24. Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is pretty inert. This means that it does not easily break apart. When molecules do not break apart easily, it is difficult (or impossible) for organisms to use them as a nutrient source. As a result, nitrogen fixation is the term used to describe the process of breaking up N2.
a. What is atmospheric fixation?
High energy of lightning breaking nitrogen molecules apart and enabling their atoms to combine with oxygen to form nitrogen oxide.
b. What is industrial fixation? [This is how artificial fertilizers are made.]When nitrogen is at 600 degrees Celsius combined with nitrogen, catalyst, and hydrogen to make ammonia that can be used as a fertilizer
c. What is biological fixation? (In your answer, describe the types of plants associated with the symbiotic relationship.)
Fixing nitrogen through bacteria and archaea, that later have relationships with plants.
25. Draw the nitrogen cycle: On a separate piece of paper: (Remember there are other diagrams on the previous websites.) If you’re not sure what a term means, look through the reading and links for help.
Water Cycle:
26. Why is nitrogen needed by plants and animals?
It is needed by plants and animals because they produce organic molecules like amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids.
1. Define "water cycle".
A process that creates water clean enough to drink, fish to eat, and help grow crops by weather patterns.
2. What fraction of the Earth’s surface is covered in water?
3/4 of the Earth's surface is covered in water.
3. What percentage of all the Earth’s water is in a form that is useable to humans and land
animals?
1% of all the Earth's water in a form useable to humans and land animals.
1. Evaporation is the process where a liquid changes from its ___Liquid_____ state to a
__Gaseous____ state.
2. Why is evaporated water so clean?
From the impurities left behind
3. Condensation occurs when a ____Gas________ is changed into a ___Liquid_______.
4. Condensation is the opposite of ____evaporation________.
5. When the _______temperature_________ and ____atmospheric pressure______ are right, the small droplets of
water in clouds form larger droplets and precipitation occurs.
6. Define transpiration:
When plants absorb water and the water goes to the leaves and evaporates there
7. Define percolation:
When water absorbs underground
1. Using the terms "evaporation", "condensation", and "precipitation", explain the water cycle in your own words.
The water cycle starts with evaporation, evaporation is when water evaporates into the atmosphere. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation and turns gas into liquid. Precipitation is rainfall from clouds.
2. What factor is most important in determining whether water is a solid, liquid, or gas?
Temperature is the most important factor
3. Is the amount of water on Earth always changing or is it a constant amount?
It is always a constant amount
26. Why is nitrogen needed by plants and animals?
It is needed by plants and animals because they produce organic molecules like amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids.
1. Define "water cycle".
A process that creates water clean enough to drink, fish to eat, and help grow crops by weather patterns.
2. What fraction of the Earth’s surface is covered in water?
3/4 of the Earth's surface is covered in water.
3. What percentage of all the Earth’s water is in a form that is useable to humans and land
animals?
1% of all the Earth's water in a form useable to humans and land animals.
1. Evaporation is the process where a liquid changes from its ___Liquid_____ state to a
__Gaseous____ state.
2. Why is evaporated water so clean?
From the impurities left behind
3. Condensation occurs when a ____Gas________ is changed into a ___Liquid_______.
4. Condensation is the opposite of ____evaporation________.
5. When the _______temperature_________ and ____atmospheric pressure______ are right, the small droplets of
water in clouds form larger droplets and precipitation occurs.
6. Define transpiration:
When plants absorb water and the water goes to the leaves and evaporates there
7. Define percolation:
When water absorbs underground
1. Using the terms "evaporation", "condensation", and "precipitation", explain the water cycle in your own words.
The water cycle starts with evaporation, evaporation is when water evaporates into the atmosphere. Condensation is the opposite of evaporation and turns gas into liquid. Precipitation is rainfall from clouds.
2. What factor is most important in determining whether water is a solid, liquid, or gas?
Temperature is the most important factor
3. Is the amount of water on Earth always changing or is it a constant amount?
It is always a constant amount