Biogeochemical Cycles- Group Guided Questions Honors Biology
Name: ______Period: ____ Date: ______
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Multiple Choice
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
___ 1. Which of the following makes up a molecule of water?
a. / one atom of hydrogen and one atom of oxygenb. / one atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine
c. / one atom of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen
d. / two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen
___ 2. Which of the following terms describes a substance formed by the combination of two or more elements in definite proportions?
a. / Molecule / compound / c. / nucleusb. / isotope / d. / enzyme
___ 3. The movements of energy and nutrients through living systems are different because
a. / energy flows in one direction and nutrients recycle.b. / energy is limited in the biosphere and nutrients are always available.
c. / nutrients flow in one direction and energy recycles.
d. / energy forms chemical compounds and nutrients are lost as heat.
___ 4. Organisms need nutrients in order to
a. / utilize hydrogen and oxygen. / c. / recycle chemical compounds.b. / carry out essential life functions. / d. / carry out nitrogen fixation.
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___ 5. Scientists classify the nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus and water cycles as
a. / Biogeochemical cycles. / c. / Natures cycles.b. / Nutrient cycles. / d. / All of the above.
Completion
Water and nutrients are needed, daily, for organisms to carry out life processes. List 4 nutrients that are necessary for Life.
List biogeochemical cycles and which nutrients must be readily available to recycle.
What are the top five elements that make up over 95 % of the body of most organisms?
What are the four groups of organic compounds (“Macro-molecules of Life”)
Name two ways carbon is released into the atmosphere so that it can be recycled.
Identify two main reservoirs (source) for carbon.
The atmosphere is the main reservoir for all the nitrogen living organisms need BUT it is NOT usable. Name two ‘key players’ responsible for changing the atmospheric nitrogen into usable nitrogenJ.
21-22. Name two ways living organisms release water into the water cycle.
23. Name the main natural source of phosphorus in the environment.
24-25. Explain, in writing how seepage and transpiration are related
Water Cycle
WORD BANK: condensation, evaporation, precipitation, transpiration, run-off, seepage
Scenario: You are a drop of water in the leaf of a palm tree in the courtyard at SWHS. You leave the plant and enter the
water cycle eventually making home in our natural water aquifer.
1. Share your life’s story….your travels from the palm tree leaf to the aquifer.
Remember, this is a biology related question therefore be sure to incorporate the vocabulary above in your biography.
Explain each vocabulary term within your written text and highlight each vocabulary term you use.
2. Draw a simple diagram of your travels using the words in the text box above.
Carbon-Oxygen Cycle
WORD BANK: Coal Oil Natural Gas volcanoes oceans decayed Photosynthesis Respiration Greenhouse effect ozone Sugar deforestation burning of fossil fuels
Scenario: You are a 100 million year old fossil. You have been trapped underground for a very, very long time.
YEAH, … you were just uncovered in a coal mine!! Get ready for your new adventure. You will be traveling to….
1. Complete the story line. Be creative. Use as many terms as possible.
Remember, this is a biology related question therefore be sure to incorporate the vocabulary above in your story.
Explain each vocabulary term within your written text and highlight each vocabulary term you use.
2. Draw a simple diagram of your travels using the words in the text box above.
Nitrogen Cycle
WORD BANK: 78% ammonia proteins nitrate nucleic acids plants animals nitrogen-fixing denitrification waste lightning
Scenario: You are a nitrogen-fixing bacteria. You and your relatives call “home” the bean farm in Homestead, Florida.
Mother Nature has chosen you to be recognized for your lifetime accomplishments and contributions to biosphere. You will be receiving the “N2 award”!!!!
1. Mother Nature steps to the podium to introduce the recipient (you) of the “N2 award”. Mother Nature begins by sharing the recipients (your) accomplishments. What would she share about your life’s work?
Remember, this is a biology related question therefore be sure to incorporate the vocabulary above in your story.
Explain each vocabulary term within your written text and highlight each vocabulary term you use.
Phosphorus Cycle
WORD BANK: rain water basins(reservoirs) rocks minerals waste decomposers
Nucleic Acid (DNA) inorganic phosphates organic phosphates plants
Scenario: You are phosphate molecule (organic) trapped in an ocean dwelling clown fish (Nemo !!)
When you gather for family holidays your grandparents always, very proudly, tell the “family story” of where you
came from.
1. Share your family story. Be creative. Use as many terms as possible.
2. Draw a simple diagram of your travels using the words in the text box above.
Remember, this is a biology related question therefore be sure to incorporate the vocabulary above in your story.
Explain each vocabulary term within your written text and highlight each vocabulary term you use.
Nitrogen Cycle
Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
WORD BANK: 78% ammonia proteins nitrate nucleic acids plants animals nitrogen-fixing denitrification waste lightning
1. Our atmosphere is ______nitrogen gas.
2. Animals and plants cannot directly use all the nitrogen found in our atmosphere. Only special
bacteria can directly use nitrogen in our atmosphere and “fix” it so other organisms can benefit.
These bacteria are called ______bacteria.
4. An abiotic factor, ______, can also help to change the nitrogen gas in our atmosphere to a usable form by providing the energy needed for nitrogen to bond with the oxygen in the air.
5. Living organisms require nitrogen to make the building blocks of two very important molecules of life; ______and ______.
6. Animal waste decay by the action of bacteria will create two products ______and
______, rich in nitrogen and now useful for plants to use again.
7. In another part of the cycle, animals eat ______containing nitrogen, which is
again returned to the soil by animal ______OR
decaying ______and______.
8. Nitrogen can be returned to the atmosphere by ______bacteria in the soil breaking down ammonia into the gaseous form of nitrogen.
9. Draw a diagram of the Nitrogen cycle using the words in the text box.
Carbon-Oxygen Cycle
Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
WORD BANK: Coal Oil Natural Gas volcanoes oceans decayed Photosynthesis Respiration Greenhouse effect ozone sugar deforestation burning of fossil fuels
1. Plants use CO2 in the process of ______to make ______and oxygen.
2. Animals and plants use oxygen in the process of ______and make more CO2.
3. The ______is the main basin (source/reservoir) of CO2 because CO2 dissolves easily in it.
4. In the past, huge deposits of carbon were stored as dead plants and animals ______.
5. Today these carbon deposits which include ______, ______, and ______are burned as fossil fuels.
6. More CO2 is released in the atmosphere today than in the past because of human activities such as ______and ______.
7. Another natural source for CO2 is ______.
8. Too much CO2 in the atmosphere may be responsible for the ______.
9. Plants release 430-470 billion tons of oxygen during the process of ______.
10. Atmospheric oxygen in the form of O3, called ______provides protection from harmful UV rays.
11. Write the equation for photosynthesis.
12. Write the equation for respiration.
13. Draw a simple diagram of the Carbon - Oxygen Cycle using the words in the text box above.
Phosphorus Cycle
Completion
Complete each sentence or statement.
WORD BANK: pollution(fertilizers) basins(reservoirs) rocks minerals waste
DNA overgrowth plants
1. Phosphorus in NOT found in the free state in Nature, but is contained mostly in ______
and ______.
2. It is an essential nutrient for life, as it makes up important chemicals such as ______.
3. In the Phosphorus Cycle, phosphorus moves between the soil and ______, which
are eaten by animals. The animals use phosphorus, and then their ______products
help return the Sulfur for the next generation of phosphorus in the soil.
4. Some of the phosphorus in soils can be washed away into water ______.
5. Another source of phosphorus in water comes from man-made ______.
6. Too much phosphorus in water leads to plant ______, strangling all other life
forms in the water.