Question of the Day 9/11

1. Question of the Day 9/11 • Draw the carbon cycle.

2. Back of Carbon Cycle Handout… 4. How does carbon become part of the body of an animal? How is carbon released from the body of of an animal? Animals eat carbon in plant foods, digest it, and make it into animal body compounds (fat, carb., & protein). Excess carbon is exhaled as CO2

3. Back of Carbon Cycle Handout… 5. Briefly explain how humans are overloading the carbon cycle. We are increasing in population & burning more and more fossil fuel (coal, oil, & natural gas) in our homes and industries. Greenhouse Gas ExcessCO2 traps heat on earth

4. Ticket to Exit: Carbon & ME • Make a list of all the activities in your lives that contribute to rising levels of carbon dioxide. • How can you reduce your “carbon footprint” ?

5. Question of the Day: 9/15 • List two processes that produce CO2 and one process that stores CO2 • Explain infiltration and transpiration.

6. The Nitrogen Cycle Major Processes: • Nitrification • Denitrification • Decomposition • Assimilation Denitrification Nitrogen Fixation Nitrification

7. Components of the Nitrogen Cycle • N2 (nitrogen gas) • In the atmosphere; cannot be used by plants or animals • NH3 (ammonia) • Found in soil; cannot be used by plants or animals • NO2 (nitrite) • Found in soil; cannot be used by plants or animals

8. Components of the Nitrogen Cycle (Continued) • NO3- (nitrate) & NH4+ (ammonium) • Only compounds of nitrogen that plants can use • Various nitrogen compounds such as amino acids • Many different compounds that living things need for survival

9. Processes of the Nitrogen Cycle Nitrification: • The process by which unusable nitrogen compounds are changed into compounds used by plants and animals. • Ex: Conversion of nitrogen gas (N2) to ammonium (NH4+) • Carried out by nitrogen-fixing bacteria • Ex: Conversion of nitrogen gas (N2) to nitrate (NO3-) • Occurs when lightening strikes

10. Processes of the Nitrogen Cycle Denitrification: • The process of changing complex nitrogen compounds into atmospheric nitrogen • Ex: Conversion of nitrate (NO3-) to nitrogen gas (N2) • Carried out by denitrifying bacteria

11. Processes of the Nitrogen Cycle Decomposition: • The process of changing dead plants & animals into simple nitrogen compounds. Assimilation: • The process of changing usable nitrogen compounds by plants into complex plant or animal nitrogen compounds.

12. Switch to handout on Nitrogen Cycle

13. Back of Nitrogen Cycle Handout… • What source of energy ultimately drives the nitrogen cycle? Explain. The Sun: It gives plants the energy to absorb soil nitrates (NO3)- so the plant can make protein and grow.

14. Back of Nitrogen Cycle Handout… 2. How do animals obtain nitrogen as shown in Figure 3-13? Animals eat plant or animal protein to get “N”. They digest it and then use amino acids to make protein.

15. Back of Nitrogen Cycle Handout… 3. In what form does nitrogen appear in the air? Where does it come from? N2 (nitrogen gas). Bacteria break down plant & animal protein and N compounds in soil.

16. Back of Carbon Cycle Handout… 4. What form on nitrogen are most plants able to absorb? How does it get into that form? Nitrates (NO3) Special bacteria (nitrogen-fixers) are in little nodules on roots of certain plants-legumes. Ex: Clover, peanuts, soybeans, alfalfa You can cross out #5 on your sheet 

17. Mineral/Rock cycle • Living organisms need other minerals, like Ca, Mg, Fe, etc. • They come from the releasing of minerals from rocks. • So, how does the rock cycle work and how are minerals incorporated in the environment?

19. The mineral cycle * See page 33 of textbook

20. What to study: • HW from textbook and any textbook readings • Class notes • Food web diagrams, concept map, N,C and H20 cycle diagrams • Vocabulary • Case Study: Reintroduction of Wolves

21. Exit Ticket: • What are the four stages in the nitrogen cycle? And in what order? • The nitrogen cycle would not function without these two key organisms: • Name a legume plant and define what that means.