Cycling Webquest
Carbon Cycle
1. Draw the Carbon Cycle
Carbon Cycle
1. Draw the Carbon Cycle
2. How does Carbon exist in the atmosphere?
Carbon exists in the atmosphere attached to oxygen. Also known as CO2 or Carbon Dioxide
3. How are fossil fuels created? Explain.
Fossil fuels are created over million and millions of years when the bodies of animals and plants die and decay into the ground, causing the carbon into the ground.
4. Describe two ways that carbon enters the atmosphere.
The first most identifiable way carbon enters our atmosphere is by us breathing. We inhale oxygen and in return we exhale carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. A second way is by burning fossil fuels, which in the process releases carbon dioxide.
5. How are the oceans involved in the carbon cycle?
All bodies of water soak up and absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.
6. How is the temperature of the Earth partly controlled by carbon?
All the carbon dioxide we produce and burn gets trapped in our atmosphere. Because carbon is a greenhouse gas that traps heat, it is causing our Earth to become warmer.
7. What role do rocks have within the cycle?
Over a time period of million and millions of years, rocks weather and attain carbon. Therefore, when rocks get washed into a body of water, the carbon on the rock seeps and is absorbed.
8. Where are you starting within the carbon cycle?
Underground as a fossil fuel.
9. How much of the atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide (CO2)?
0.04% of our atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide
10. By how much has CO2 increased in the atmosphere during the past 150 years?
The amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by 30% in the last 150 years.
11. Next stop = Land plants
What did you learn?
The more carbon dioxide added to our atmosphere, the faster the plants will grow. Plants release carbon dioxide by respiration.
12. Next stop = Soil
What did you learn?
Soils store approximately 3% of the Earth's carbon dioxide.
The deep ocean accounts for more than 65 % of the Earth’s carbon.
How much carbon does the surface ocean absorb from the atmosphere each year?
Surface water absorbs about 90 Gigatons of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere each year.
True or False: When plants die and decay, they bring carbon into soil.
TRUE
13. Next stop = Atmosphere
What did you learn?
More carbon dioxide in our atmosphere makes the Earth warmer.
14. Next stop = Surface Ocean
What did you learn?
The ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than land does. Cold water absorbs carbon dioxide at a faster rate than warm water.
15. Next stop = Deep Ocean
What did you learn?
The deep ocean absorbs 65% of the Earths carbon dioxide. Carbon remains in the deep ocean for hundreds and hundreds of years.
When carbon enters the deep ocean, how long does it stay there?
Hundreds of years before moving on.
True or False: Phytoplankton are tiny plants and algae that float in the ocean and take up carbon
dioxide as they grow.
TRUE
True or False: Plants both absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release it into the atmosphere.
TRUE
Nitrogen Cycle
16. What are the two conditions under which nitrogen will react with oxygen? (In other
words, what is necessary for nitrogen in the air to combine with oxygen?)
Nitrogen will react with oxygen in high temperature and pressure found near lightning bolts, in combustion reactions in power plants. internal combustion zones in engines.
17. What are the two compounds that are formed when nitrogen combines with oxygen?
Two compounds that form when nitrogen and oxygen come together are NO (nitric oxide) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide).
18. How does nitric acid (HNO3) form?
Nitric acid forms when Nitrogen dioxide reacts with water in rain to form Nitric acid.
19. Why is nitric acid (HNO3) important?
Plants utilize the nitric acid as a nutrient.
20. What percentage of the air we breathe is nitrogen?
79% of the air we breathe is nitrogen.
21. Even though considerable nitrogen is available in the air, most plants do not use the nitrogen (N2) found in the air.
Why not?
Plants do not use the nitrogen found in the air because they are able to secure their nitrogen in "fixed" form.
22. In what compounds can plants use nitrogen?
nitrate ions, ammonium ions, urea
23. How do animals get the nitrogen they need?
Animals get the nitrogen they need by eating other animals and/or plants.
24. Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is pretty inert. This means that it does not easily break apart.
When molecules do not break apart easily, it is difficult (or impossible) for organisms to use
them as a nutrient source. As a result, nitrogen fixation is the term used to describe the
process of breaking up N2.
a. What is atmospheric fixation?
A process in which an immense amount of energy from lightning bolts breaks nitrogen molecules allowing it to combine with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides. Which is then followed by dissolving into rain forming nitrates then carried to Earth.
b. What is industrial fixation? [This is how artificial fertilizers are made.]
A process in which catalyst, atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen come together under great pressure to form ammonia.
c. What is biological fixation? (In your answer, describe the types of plants associated with the symbiotic relationship.)
Biological fixation is the ability to fix nitrogen found specifically in certain bacteria and archaea.
Plants associated with this symbiotic relationship include alfalfa and soy beans.
25. Draw the nitrogen cycle: On a separate piece of paper: (Remember there are other
diagrams on the previous websites.) If you’re not sure what a term means, look through the
reading and links for help.
Carbon exists in the atmosphere attached to oxygen. Also known as CO2 or Carbon Dioxide
3. How are fossil fuels created? Explain.
Fossil fuels are created over million and millions of years when the bodies of animals and plants die and decay into the ground, causing the carbon into the ground.
4. Describe two ways that carbon enters the atmosphere.
The first most identifiable way carbon enters our atmosphere is by us breathing. We inhale oxygen and in return we exhale carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. A second way is by burning fossil fuels, which in the process releases carbon dioxide.
5. How are the oceans involved in the carbon cycle?
All bodies of water soak up and absorb carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.
6. How is the temperature of the Earth partly controlled by carbon?
All the carbon dioxide we produce and burn gets trapped in our atmosphere. Because carbon is a greenhouse gas that traps heat, it is causing our Earth to become warmer.
7. What role do rocks have within the cycle?
Over a time period of million and millions of years, rocks weather and attain carbon. Therefore, when rocks get washed into a body of water, the carbon on the rock seeps and is absorbed.
8. Where are you starting within the carbon cycle?
Underground as a fossil fuel.
9. How much of the atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide (CO2)?
0.04% of our atmosphere is made of carbon dioxide
10. By how much has CO2 increased in the atmosphere during the past 150 years?
The amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by 30% in the last 150 years.
11. Next stop = Land plants
What did you learn?
The more carbon dioxide added to our atmosphere, the faster the plants will grow. Plants release carbon dioxide by respiration.
12. Next stop = Soil
What did you learn?
Soils store approximately 3% of the Earth's carbon dioxide.
The deep ocean accounts for more than 65 % of the Earth’s carbon.
How much carbon does the surface ocean absorb from the atmosphere each year?
Surface water absorbs about 90 Gigatons of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere each year.
True or False: When plants die and decay, they bring carbon into soil.
TRUE
13. Next stop = Atmosphere
What did you learn?
More carbon dioxide in our atmosphere makes the Earth warmer.
14. Next stop = Surface Ocean
What did you learn?
The ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than land does. Cold water absorbs carbon dioxide at a faster rate than warm water.
15. Next stop = Deep Ocean
What did you learn?
The deep ocean absorbs 65% of the Earths carbon dioxide. Carbon remains in the deep ocean for hundreds and hundreds of years.
When carbon enters the deep ocean, how long does it stay there?
Hundreds of years before moving on.
True or False: Phytoplankton are tiny plants and algae that float in the ocean and take up carbon
dioxide as they grow.
TRUE
True or False: Plants both absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release it into the atmosphere.
TRUE
Nitrogen Cycle
16. What are the two conditions under which nitrogen will react with oxygen? (In other
words, what is necessary for nitrogen in the air to combine with oxygen?)
Nitrogen will react with oxygen in high temperature and pressure found near lightning bolts, in combustion reactions in power plants. internal combustion zones in engines.
17. What are the two compounds that are formed when nitrogen combines with oxygen?
Two compounds that form when nitrogen and oxygen come together are NO (nitric oxide) and NO2 (nitrogen dioxide).
18. How does nitric acid (HNO3) form?
Nitric acid forms when Nitrogen dioxide reacts with water in rain to form Nitric acid.
19. Why is nitric acid (HNO3) important?
Plants utilize the nitric acid as a nutrient.
20. What percentage of the air we breathe is nitrogen?
79% of the air we breathe is nitrogen.
21. Even though considerable nitrogen is available in the air, most plants do not use the nitrogen (N2) found in the air.
Why not?
Plants do not use the nitrogen found in the air because they are able to secure their nitrogen in "fixed" form.
22. In what compounds can plants use nitrogen?
nitrate ions, ammonium ions, urea
23. How do animals get the nitrogen they need?
Animals get the nitrogen they need by eating other animals and/or plants.
24. Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is pretty inert. This means that it does not easily break apart.
When molecules do not break apart easily, it is difficult (or impossible) for organisms to use
them as a nutrient source. As a result, nitrogen fixation is the term used to describe the
process of breaking up N2.
a. What is atmospheric fixation?
A process in which an immense amount of energy from lightning bolts breaks nitrogen molecules allowing it to combine with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides. Which is then followed by dissolving into rain forming nitrates then carried to Earth.
b. What is industrial fixation? [This is how artificial fertilizers are made.]
A process in which catalyst, atmospheric nitrogen and hydrogen come together under great pressure to form ammonia.
c. What is biological fixation? (In your answer, describe the types of plants associated with the symbiotic relationship.)
Biological fixation is the ability to fix nitrogen found specifically in certain bacteria and archaea.
Plants associated with this symbiotic relationship include alfalfa and soy beans.
25. Draw the nitrogen cycle: On a separate piece of paper: (Remember there are other
diagrams on the previous websites.) If you’re not sure what a term means, look through the
reading and links for help.
26. Why is nitrogen needed by plants and animals?
Nitrogen is needed by plants and animals because of the fact that they generate nucleic acid, amino acids as well as proteins.
Water Cycle
1. Define "water cycle".
A continuous cycle that circulates through the ocean, land and atmosphere.
2. What fraction of the Earth’s surface is covered in water?
Approximately three fourths of the Earth's surface is covered in water.
3. What percentage of all the Earth’s water is in a form that is useable to humans and land animals?
Only 1% is in a form that is useable to humans and land animals.
1. Evaporation is the process where a liquid changes from its LIQUID state to a
GASEOUS state.
2. Why is evaporated water so clean?
Evaporated water is clean because impurities in the water are left behind.
3. Condensation occurs when a GAS is changed into a LIQUID.
4. Condensation is the opposite of Evaporation.
5. When the TEMPERATURE and ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE are right, the small droplets of
water in clouds form larger droplets and precipitation occurs.
6. Define transpiration: Transpiration is the process in which the water in the soil is absorbed by a plant which then travels through the roots, stem and leaves. The water is then evaporated through the leaves is known as transpiration.
7. Define percolation: Percolation is the process of slow passage through a filter. example: soil
1. Using the terms "evaporation", "condensation", and "precipitation", explain the water
cycle in your own words.
Beginning in the ocean, water is evaporated into the atmosphere as water vapor. When the temperature of the water vapor decreases, condensation occurs. This water vapor then condenses into droplets when the temperature and pressure are just right into precipitation. Which then returns to Earth and commences the never ending water cycle once again.
2. What factor is most important in determining whether water is a solid, liquid, or gas?
The absolute most important factor that determines whether water is in a solid, liquid, or gas state is TEMPERATURE!
3. Is the amount of water on Earth always changing or is it a constant amount?
CONSTANT AMOUNT.