Nitrogen Cycle

What is Nitrogen?
Nitrogen makes up about 78%
of our atmosphere.
Nitrogen in the atmosphere it is mostly in the
N2
form of ______, which is a compound that plants
and animals cannot use.
The process of converting nitrogen into
compounds that can be used by plants and
Nitrogen Cycle
animals is called the ______________________.

Why we care about nitrogen

Nitrogen is an essential
component of
DNA, RNA and Proteins
_____________________.
The building blocks of life.

How does atmospheric nitrogen (N2) get changed into

a form that can be used by most living organisms?

Four

By traveling through one of the ________ processes in the

Nitrogen Cycle!

(1) Nitrogen Fixation

(4) Denitrification
Nitrogen
Cycle

(3) Nitrification

(2) Ammonification

Process 1: Nitrogen Fixation

Nitrogen Fixation
___________________
is the process in
which the N2 compound in the atmosphere
breaks and combines with other compounds.
fixed when it combines
The nitrogen is _________
hydrogen
oxyge
with ______________
or _______________.
n

N
H
H

N2
H

Ammonia (NH3)

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Three ways to fix Nitrogen

bacteria
Main process: Special ____________
convert the nitrogen gas (N2) to
some
ammonia (NH3), which only ________
plants can use (peas, beans).
Lightning
_________________ strikes convert
N2 to N2O or NO3.
Chemical
Industrial production. ____________
manipulation turns N2 into NH3
(Fertilizer)

Process 2: Ammonification
Ammonification
_____________________
- After all the living
organic nitrogen
organisms have used the ___________________,
decomposer bacteria convert the nitrogen to
ammonia
_______________.
H
N
H
Bacteria

Organic Nitrogen (proteins)

Ammonia

Process 3: Nitrification
Nitrification
_______________
is the process that
converts ammonia (NH3) into nitrites
most
(NO2) and nitrates (NO3) which ____
can
plants _______
use.
Both

Note: Ammonia comes from ______

nitrogen fixation and ammonification
How is it done?
Bacteria!

_____________________

H
H

N
H

O
O

Process 4: Denitrification

Denitrification
_______________:
Process in which nitrogen
convert back
compounds _____________________
into
atmospheric nitrogen (N2 or N2O).
The main process is performed by
bacteria
_____________________
in the soil. It can
burning fossil fuels.
also happen by _____________
N2

NO3

N2O

N2
N2O

(1) Nitrogen Fixation

(4) Denitrification

Nitrogen
Cycle

(2) Ammonification

(3) Nitrification
Ammonia is converted
to nitrites and nitrates.

NO3

NH3
Nitrates in Soil

Organic nitrogen is
converted to ammonia.

Nitrogen in
the air
nitrogen fixing
plant
eg pea, clover plant made

animal protein

protein

root nodules
(containing nitrogen
fixing bacteria)

denitrifying
bacteria

nitrates absorbed

dead plants & animals

urine & feces
decomposition by bacteria & fungi

nitrates
bacteria
(nitrifying bacteria)

ammonia

nitrites

bacteria

Human Impact
___________________,
Combustion
releases toxic nitrogen
compounds into the atmosphere.
____________________________
Commercial Fertilizers
release
nitrous oxide into the atmosphere and introduce
excess nitrogen into the environment.
Remove nitrogen from the soil when we mine it
mineral deposits
for nitrogen rich __________________________.
Discharge of ___________________________
municipal sewage
releases excess nitrogen into the water ecosystems
which disrupts the aquatic balance and kills fish.

Commercial Fertilizers
Are the ______
#1 contributor of new nitrogen in
the nitrogen cycle.
limiting factor
Added because nitrogen is a ________________
for plant growth.
Problems: hard to apply fertilizer and keep it in
one area. Runoff, evaporation, etc.. So farmers
twice as much
apply about ___________________
as they
need.
food chain
Extra nitrogen disrupts the ________________.

Exit Ticket
1. What are the four main processes of the
nitrogen cycle?
2. What is it called when bacteria convert
nitrogen into ammonia?
3. What organism is required for every step of
the nitrogen cycle?