Cycles
emily morr
definitions for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles
** Carbon- is a process by which carbon is cycled between the atmosphere, land, water, and organisms.
** nitrogen- a process in which nitrogen is cycled between the atmosphere, bacteria, and other organisms.
** phosphorus- is the movement of phosphorus from the environment to organisms and then back in the environment.
SUMMARIZE
**Carbon- All living things are made of carbon. Carbon is also a part of the ocean, air, and even rocks. Because the Earth is a dynamic place, carbon does not stay still. It is on the move.
**Nitrogen- 80% of the air in our atmosphere is made of nitrogen. Your body does not use the nitrogen that you inhale with each breath. But, like all living things, your body needs nitrogen. Your body gets the nitrogen it needs to grow from food. Many farmers use fertilizers to add nitrogen to the soil to help plants grow larger and faster. Both nitrogen fertilizers and forest fires add huge amounts of nitrogen into the soil and nearby lakes and rivers. Water full of nitrogen causes plants and algae to grow very fast and then die all at once when there are too many for the environment to support.
** Phoshphate- phosphorus is released again through weathering and the cycle starts over. Phosphorus can be found on earth in water, soil and sediments.