Earth Cycles

What are the Earth's five major cycles?

The atmospheric, carbon, nitrogen, rock and water cycles.

What causes the atmospheric cycle?

Changes in the Earth's temperature causing changes in air pressure in the atmosphere.

What is the atmospheric cycle responsible for?

The planet's dynamic weather.

What is the carbon cycle?

The passage of carbon through the ground, atmosphere and water.

What is the nitrogen cycle?

The transformation of nitrogen into its various usable forms.

Why must nitrogen be converted before organisms can use it?

Nitrogen makes up a large part of the atmosphere, but higher-order organisms cannot use it in that form.

What is the rock cycle?

The way the three rock types transform from one into another when a rock's external surroundings change.

What is the water cycle?

The movement of water to the atmosphere by evaporation and back to the ground by precipitation.

What is evaporation?

Liquid water turning into water vapor and rising into the atmosphere.

What is precipitation?

Water falling from the atmosphere back to the ground as rain, snow, sleet or hail.

Which three substances are named as necessary for life to function?

Carbon, nitrogen and water.