Env. Science - Spheres and Cycles

Cellular respiration

the process by which organisms use oxygen to release the chemical energy of sugars and release CO2 and water

Photosynthesis

when producers pull carbon dioxide out of their environment and combine it with water in the presence of sunlight. The chemical bonds in carbon dioxide and water are then broken, producing oxygen and carbohydrates.

Decomposition

when an animal or plant decomposes/dies down, it gets absorbed from the soil.

Eutrophication

The addition of phosphorus to bodies of water can lead to an overgrowth of producers (usually algae)

Nitrogen Fixation

the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia. Can be accomplished in two naturally occurring ways: by the intense energy of lighting strike, or when air in the top layer of soil comes in contact with particular types of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Convergent Boundary

Earthquakes, volcanoes

Oceanic crust gets melted

Divergent Boundary

Underwater volcanos/regular volcanos

Rift valley/water formation

Transform Boundary

Creates earthquakes

Brushing/passing against each other

Convergent Boundary: →←

Divergent boundary: ←→

Transform boundary: (passing by each other)

Nitrogen Cycle

What living things are able to take nitrogen out of the air and turn it into nitrogen compounds?

Legumes → nitrogen fixing plants

Nitrogen Cycle

What other organisms help with making nitrogen compounds? (Hint - they are decomposers not pictured in the cycle?

Decomposers: Mushrooms → bacteria, fungi

Phosphorus Cycle

How does phosphorus in plants make its way back into soil?

Decomposition → from plants, Consumption → from animals eating plants

Phosphorus Cycle

What organisms help make inorganic phosphorus in the soil available for plants to use?

Decomposers →Bacteria and fungi, to the plants from root uptake

Phosphorus Cycle

What are two ways phosphorus can make its way into a body of water?

Run off from farmland, weathering from rocks

Carbon Cycle

How does CO2 get taken out of the atmosphere? (or CO2 into atmosphere)

Photosynthesis

Carbon Cycle

How is carbon unnaturally put into the atmosphere?

Factory emissions

Carbon Cycle

How can carbon get put into the soil?

Decomposition, From plants absorbing it into the roots

Carbon Cycle

How can carbon go from inside one organism into another?

Consumption