Nutrient Cycle Quiz

What are the essential elements that both plants and animals need to grow strong and healthy?

• Proteins and carbohydrates

• Oxygen and carbon dioxide

• Nutrients like carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen

• Sunlight and water

How do most plants acquire the nutrients they need?

• Through their leaves

• From the air

• Via their roots from soil and water

• By absorbing sunlight

What is the primary source of energy for plants?

• Water

• Carbon dioxide

• Sunlight

• Nutrients from the soil

What is the main reason grown-ups encourage eating fruits and vegetables?

• They are tasty

• They are colorful

• They are filled with nutrients

• They are easy to grow

What is the role of decomposers in the nutrient cycle?

• They consume living plants

• They break down dead material, returning nutrients to the soil

• They produce nutrients

• They provide energy to plants

Which of the following is considered a detritivore?

• An earthworm

• A deer

• A chameleon

• A lion

Which of the following is NOT a decomposer?

• Earthworm

• Deer

• Bacteria

• Fungi

How do larger animals like deer contribute to the nutrient cycle?

• By directly absorbing nutrients from the soil

• By producing their own nutrients

• By eating plants and releasing waste that decomposers break down

• By photosynthesis

What happens to the nutrients in a deer after it dies?

• They disappear

• They are broken down by decomposers and returned to the soil

• They remain in the deer's body forever

• They are absorbed by the air

Why is the nutrient cycle crucial for ecosystems?

• It helps plants grow, which are the foundation of food webs

• It provides energy to the sun

• It prevents animals from eating each other

• It stops plants from growing too large