Earth's biogeochemical cycles

Multiple Choice

Which of the following gases are most commonly found in the air we breathe?

• Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Carbon Dioxide

• Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Helium

• Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, and Nitrogen

• Nitrogen, Methane, and Oxygen

Multiple Choice

Which word best describes a community including all biotic and abiotic factors?

• Ecosystem

• Biosphere

• Matter

• Nutrient

Multiple Choice

Which of the following elements are required by living things for growth and development?

• Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus

• Iron, copper, zinc, and magnesium

• Gold, silver, platinum, and mercury

• Helium, neon, argon, and krypton

Multiple Choice

Why is the recycling of nutrients important for the sustainability of ecosystems?

• It prevents pollution in the environment.

• It ensures that essential elements are available for living organisms to grow and develop.

• It increases the temperature of the ecosystem.

• It reduces the number of living organisms.

Open Ended

How do elements or compounds move between living and nonliving forms in the biosphere? Provide examples based on the biogeochemical cycles discussed.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are examples of biogeochemical cycles?

• Water cycle

• Carbon cycle

• Nitrogen cycle

• Oxygen cycle

Multiple Choice

Which process in the water cycle is responsible for water vapor turning into clouds?

• Evaporation

• Condensation

• Precipitation

• Transpiration

Multiple Choice

Which of the following nutrients are recycled by decomposers and are essential for life?

• Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus

• Oxygen, Hydrogen, Helium

• Iron, Zinc, Copper

• Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium

Multiple Select

Which of the following statements about decomposers are correct?

• They break down decaying material.

• They recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

• Their types vary by ecosystem, but their role is the same.

• They only exist in soil ecosystems.

Multiple Choice

What is the main process by which plants move carbon from the atmosphere into the biosphere?

• Respiration

• Photosynthesis

• Decomposition

• Excretion

Multiple Choice

Which process in the phosphorus cycle returns organic phosphate to the soil after a plant or animal dies?

• Weathering

• Decomposition

• Absorption by plants

• Geological uplift

Multiple Choice

About how much Nitrogen (N₂) is in our atmosphere?

• 20.947%

• 78.084%

• Up to 4%

• 0.035%

Multiple Select

Which of the following are processes involved in the nitrogen cycle?

• Nitrification

• Photosynthesis

• Ammonification

• Denitrification

Open Ended

What questions do you still have about the recycling of matter in ecosystems, or is there anything you would like to know more about?