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WorksheetsPhosphorus Cycle
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 13mins
This is NOT a part of the phosphorus cycle.
Phosphate is incorporated into sedimentary rocks
Phosphate bound to soil
Atmospheric phosphate
Phosphate is absorbed from the soil by plants
This is released by the weathering of rocks.
Carbonate
Phosphate
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
What is the phosphorus cycle?
the process in which phosphorus is created
the process by which phosphorus moves through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
the process in which phosphorus desintegrates
the process in which phosphorus kills people
What is the main source of phosphorus?
plants
rocks
humans
fungi
A molecule of phosphate is in the soil due to run-off from rock formations. How does phosphate enter living organisms?
plants or algae absorb the phosphate and incorporate it into their tissues.
the phosphate heats up due to sun exposure, which allows it to evaporate into the atmosphere, where it can be breathed in by plants
the phosphate exhaled by animals, which allows it to travel to the atmosphere. Then, it is absorbed by plants.
fungi decomposes rocks in order to break down their phosphates
A molecule of phosphate is in the tissues of plants/ algae. How does phosphate cycle through other living organisms?
the plant/algae gets eaten by an animal. The animal will either die or create waste. Then, the phosphate re-enters the environment where it can be absorbed by another plant/algae
the phosphate in the atmosphere gets breathed in by many different organisms, which it gets stored in their tissues.
the phosphate within the environment gets buried so deep it compacts back into rock.
organisms that feed off inorganic rocks make phosphates accessible to other organisms
The major sink for phosphorus is
sedimentary rock
atmospheric gases
seawater
plants
Which process is responsible for releasing phosphate from rocks into the soil?
Photosynthesis
Weathering
Respiration
Combustion
What happens to phosphate when plants and animals die?
It evaporates into the atmosphere
It is absorbed by other living organisms immediately
It is broken down by decomposers and returned to the soil
It remains in the dead tissues indefinitely
