Biogeochemical Cycles Quiz

Runoff

The Hydrologic Cycle- water flowing down hill

Transpiraton

The Hydrologic Cycle- loss of excess water from land plants

Condensation

The Hydrologic Cycle- phase change from water vapor to liquid water

Infiltration

The Hydrologic Cycle- water filtering through the pore spaces in soil or rock

Evaporation

The Hydrologic Cycle- phase change from liquid water to water vapor

Precipitation

The Hydrologic Cycle- rain, snow, sleet, or hail

Combustion

The Carbon Cycle- burning fossil fuels & other organic molecules

Burial and Combustion

The Carbon Cycle- dissolved CO2 in water is compacted into sediments to form rock (limestone)

Decomposition

The Carbon Cycle- organic materials breaks down, returning organic carbon to the soil

Photosynthesis

The Carbon Cycle- plants using CO2 & light energy to produce O2 & food

Erosion

The Carbon Cycle- breaking down & transporting solid materials (usually rocks/ soils)

Cellular Respiration

The Carbon Cycle- living organisms using O2 & food to produce CO2 & energy

Excretion

The Nitrogen Cycle- animal waste return organic nitrogen to the soil

Ammonification

The Nitrogen Cycle- bacteria convert organic nitrogen into ammonia during decomposition

Denitrification

The Nitrogen Cycle- bacteria convert nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen

Assimilation

The Nitrogen Cycle- plants absorb nitrates through their roots

Ingestion

The Nitrogen Cycle- animals eat plants and other organic materials containing nitrates

Nitrification

The Nitrogen Cycle- bacteria convert ammonia or ammonium into nitrates

Nitrogen Fixation

The Nitrogen Cycle- bacteria or legumes convert atmospheric nitrogen into the more usable ammonia

Erosion

The Phosphorous Cycle- rocks or soil are broken down, transporting phosphorous across land or in water

Excretion

The Phosphorous Cycle- animal waste returns organic phosphorous to the soil

Phosphate Mining

The Phosphorous Cycle- humans remove phosphates from underground for fertilizers

Absorption

The Phosphorous Cycle- plants absorb phosphates through their roots

Decompostion

The Phosphorous Cycle- organic material breaks down, returning organic phosphorous to the soil

Geologic Uplift

The Phosphorous Cycle- exposing underground rocks to the surface

Ingestion

The Phosphorous Cycle- Animals eat plants and other organic materials containing phosphates

Burial and Compaction

The Phosphorous Cycle- organisms are compacted into sediments to form rock

Sulfur Dioxide

The Sulfur Cycle- SO2- released by volcanic eruptions & fuel combustion, and formed from H2S reacting with oxygen

Decomposition

The Sulfur Cycle- organic material breaks down, returning organic sulfur to the soil

Bacteria Decay

The Sulfur Cycle- bacteria release H2S back to the atmospheric during decay

Sulfuric Acid

The Sulfur Cycle- H2SO4- formed from sulfur oxides reacting with water vapor

Hydrogen Sulfide

The Sulfur Cycle- H2S- released by volcanic eruptions, fuel combustion, and bacteria in soil

Dimethyl Sulfide

The Sulfur Cycle- DMS- released to the atmosphere by marine organisms & helps cloud droplets condense, and ultimately converts to SO2

Erosion

The Sulfur Cycle- rocks/ soils break down, transporting sulfur across land or in water

Deposition

The Sulfur Cycle- sulfur settles back to Earth or comes down with precipitation

Infiltration

The Sulfur Cycle- sulfates filtering through pores in soil or rock

Combustion

The Sulfur Cycle- burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil

Absorption

The Sulfur Cycle- sulfates taken up by plants through their roots

Sedimentary Rock

The Rock Cycle- formed when sediment compacted together

Sediment

The Rock Cycle- small particles of rock or soil

Compacting and Cementation

The Rock Cycle- forces that create sedimentary rock

Heat and Pressure

The Rock Cycle- forces that create metamorphic rock

Magma

The Rock Cycle- molten rock

Metamorphic Rock

The Rock Cycle- formed when other rocks that have undergone a significant change

Melting

The Rock Cycle- significant heating of rocks to create magma

Weathering and Erosion

The Rock Cycle- rocks break down and are transported away

Igneous Rock

The Rock Cycle- formed from cooled magma

Cooling and Hardening

The Rock Cycle- processes that create igneous rock

Nitrogen Cycle

The continuous sequence of events by which atmospheric nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds in the soil are converted, as by nitrification and nitrogen fixation, into substances that can be utilized by green plants, the substances returning to the air and soil as a result of the decay of the plants and denitrification and then made available to the nonliving environment

Carbon Cycle

Carbon is absorbed by producers such as plants, which give some carbon back to the atmosphere, then the decomposers break dead plants down, releasing more carbon into the atmosphere, and we breath in and out, taking in oxygen but also releasing carbon into the atmosphere through respiration.

Carbon is also released into the atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels.

Sulfur Cycle

Cyclic movement of sulfur in different chemical forms from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment. Human impacts include the burning of coal and the internal combustion engine, causing sulfuric acid to be emitted into the atmosphere, becoming another component of acid rain.

Phosphorus Cycle

Cycles through water, earth's crusts, and living organisms. The major reservoir is phosphate salts, and it is very slow. Humans affect it by removing large quantities of it to make fertilizers

Rock Cycle

A series of processes on the surface and inside Earth that slowly changes rocks from one kind to another