Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

What does the Geological Carbon Cycle include?

weathering, dissolution, precipitation of minerals, subduction, volcanic eruptions, and combustion.

What does the Biological Carbon Cycle include?

photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and diffusion

Is decomposition biological or geological?

Biological

Is Burial biological or geological?

geological

Is volcanic eruptions biological or geological?

geological

Is weathering biological or geological?

geological

Is respiration biological or geological?

biological

Is precipitation of minerals biological or geological?

geological

Is subduction biological or geological?

geological

Is diffusion biological or geological?

geological

Is dissolving biological or geological?

geological

Is photosynthesis biological or geological?

biological

What carbon cycle produces 1,000x as much as carbon into the atmosphere? (Hint: Biological or Geological)

biological

Diffusion is the process where carbon is absorbed and _______ at the interface if the ocean’s surface and surrounding areas.

released

_______ is the reverse of photosynthesis, turning sugar back into carbon dioxide.

Respiration

What respires?

Animals, microorganisms, plants

Carbons enters the soil through______

Decomposition

Organic matter buried over millions of years from deposits of coal and oil that we call_____

fossil fuels

What releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere other than plants?

Volcanic eruptions, hot springs, and the uplift of tectonic plates

Through seafloor spreading and ______ carbon baring sediment is pushed under continental margins where it heats up and pushed to the surface as volcanoes.

Subduction

Minerals are _____ out of solid rocks by acid rain.

dissolved

What is the biggest Nitrogen reservoir, and how much present? ( Hint: %)

atmosphere: 78%

What rocks form after when mineral water has precipitated off the ocean’s surface?

Calcite and Limestone

Describe Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation

Energy from lightning break N2 molecules. Those N2 molecules are then mixed with oxygen forming NO2. Then NO2 dissolves in the rain, which reacts and turns into NO3 (Ammonium) . After that N03 is then carried into the ground to plants.

Describe Biological Nitrogen Fixation

Free living bacteria in soil combines N2 with Hydrogen turning it into Ammonium. That Ammonium is used for plants for energy.

Describe Industrial Nitrogen Fixation

Under certain conditionals in industrial plants, Nitrogen and oxygen combine forming ammonium rich soil.

Describe ammonification

Part of the decay process where a plant or animal has died or has left waste (N2) and bacteria turns the N2 back into ammonium. That ammonium is stored in plants and in the soil.

Describe Assimilation

When a plant gets eaten by an animal where that nitrogen gets transferred into that animals body.

Decribe denitrification

Bacteria in swamps take the oxygen from the N2 molecules, creating nitrogen gas

Describe nitrification

Bacteria combine ammonium with oxygen to create nitrate

Describe Nitrogen fixation (Hint: its different from carbon fixation)

N2 molecules in the air break apart and combine with other atoms to form ammonium. AKA NH4

What are some negative consequences of excess N2 in the Nitrogen cycle?

nitrogen cycle is disturbed, clogged up air, and there could be a lack of oxygen: which could cause animals and plants to die.