Nitrogen cycle

Prepared by Hu K.L.

Atmospheric content of the Earth

y Nitrogen 78% y Oxygen 21% y Other gases 1%

Nitrogen cycle
y Nitrogen cycle is the natural circulation of nitrogen within

the atmosphere, the soil and water, and the plants and animals of the earth.

Nitrogen cycle

Processes involved in nitrogen cycle

y Nitrogen fixation
y Convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into organic compounds. y Is done by nitrogen-fixing bacteria

y Denitrification
y Return nitrogen into the atmosphere y Is done by denitrifying bacteria

y Decomposition
y Dead animal and plants are decompose into ammonium compound y Is done by decomposer such as bacteria and fungi

y Nitrification
y Change ammonium compound into nitrite and nitrate compounds in

soil y Is done by nitrifying bacteria

The importance of nitrogen cycle

y Convert nitrogen into a form that living things can use. y Maintain the nitrogen content in the natural environment.

Exercise
y Page 37 on Science Process Skills book

y Use the following words to fill up the blanks:

y y y y y y y y y y y y y y

Denitrifying Lightning Nitrogen-fixing Ammonium Nitrogen fixation Decomposition Nitrification Denitrification Nitrogen-fixing bacteria Solution Denitrifying bacteria Ammonium nitrate Fertility nitrogen

Exercise
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

State the macronutrient needed to form protein in animals and plants. State the form of nitrogen compound that is readily absorbed by the roots of plants. Name the cycle that removes nitrogen from the atmosphere and then returns it into the atmosphere. State two ways to convert the nitrogen in atmosphere into nitrate compounds in the soil. State the compound formed when dead plants and dead animals are decomposed by bacteria and fungi.

Exercise
Name the bacteria which convert nitrogen in the air into nitrate in the soil. 7. Name the bacteria which convert nitrate in the soil into nitrogen in the atmosphere.
6.

Answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Nitrogen Nitrate ion Nitrogen cycle Through lightning and nitrogen-fixing bacteria Ammonium compound Nitrogen-fixing bacteria Denitrifying bacteria