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Ecology Cycling of Matter

Total questions: 21

Worksheet time: 11mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Fossil fuels are part of which of these cycles?

a)

carbon

b)

oxygen

c)

nitrogen

d)

phosphorus

2.

Which two biogeochemical cycles depend directly on photosynthesis?

a)

the oxygen cycle and the carbon cycle

b)

the carbon cycle and the phosphorus cycle

c)

the nitrogen cycle and the phosphorus cycle

d)

the water cycle and the oxygen cycle

3.

Which process is part of the hydrologic cycle?

a)

sedimentation

b)

transpiration

c)

nitrification

d)

decomposition

4.

Which statement describes a difference between the nitrogen & carbon cycles?

a)

The carbon cycle involves only plants.

b)

The nitrogen cycle requires a process called fixation that is carried out by certain bacteria

c)

the nitrogen cycle occurs entirely in the ocean

d)

the carbon cycle requires that temperatures be above 80 F

5.

Elements such as carbon can move through the environment and organisms in a cycle because living and nonliving things interact in __________.

a)

organisms

b)

ecosystems

c)

species

d)

cells

6.

Which cycle do humans have the biggest impact upon?

a)

Water cycle

b)

Carbon cycle

c)

Nitrogen cycle

d)

Phosphorus cycle

7.

Which cycle does NOT involve death & decomposition of organisms?

a)

Water cycle

b)

Nitrogen cycle

c)

Carbon cycle

d)

Phosphorus cycle

8.

The carbon cycle makes carbon compounds continuously available in an ecosystem and delivers:

a)

water to all organisms

b)

light energy to autotrophs

c)

CO2 to animals within the ecosystem

d)

chemical energy to organisms within the ecosystem

9.

What happens during the process of nitrogen fixation?

a)

Bacteria change ammonium into nitrate.

b)

Bacteria convert gaseous nitrogen into ammonia.

c)

Bacteria grow on nodules on plant roots

d)

Bacteria absorb ammonia and excrete ammonium.

10.

Bacteria are important in the nitrogen cycle because they __________.

a)

produce sugars that plants can use

b)

respire, returning carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

c)

help convert nitrogen into a form that organisms can use

d)

decay and eventually form fossil fuels

11.

When humans and animals die, phosphorus __________.

a)

returns to the soil

b)

evaporates into the atmosphere

c)

is dissolved in water

d)

is decomposed by decomposers

12.

Which of these is common to the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle, and the water cycle?

a)

The largest reserves of the substance are always in organisms.

b)

The substance must pass through organisms in order to complete its cycle

c)

The ocean is a reservoir for all three substances.

d)

Substance is required by all living things & is involved in many processes that occur in all living things.

13.

Which is a possible effect of introducing too much nitrogen & phosphorus into an aquatic ecosystem?

a)

Fish populations would increase

b)

Water would become more clear

c)

Aquatic life would die off

d)

Oxygen levels would increase

14.

Which cycle does not involve the hydrosphere?

a)

Water cycle

b)

Carbon cycle

c)

Nitrogen cycle

d)

Phosphorus cycle

15.

The process of water loss by plants

a)

Ammonification

b)

Evaporation

c)

Transpiration

d)

Reservoir

16.

The remains of living things that have been buried for millions of years

a)

Assimilation

b)

Fossil fuels

c)

Gasoline

d)

Glacier

17.

seeping of water into the soil

a)

reservoir

b)

ground water

c)

percolation

d)

evaporation

18.

the conversion of ammonium into nitrate

a)

nitrification

b)

combustion

c)

transpiration

d)

nitrogen fixation

19.

the return of nitrogen to the soil as ammonium

a)

nitrification

b)

ammonification

c)

nitrogen fixation

d)

assimilation

20.

conversion of gaseous nitrogen into ammonia

a)

ammonification

b)

nitrogen fixation

c)

percolation

d)

nitrification

21.

What is eutrophication?

a)

ponds getting dirty

b)

the depletion of oxygen in a pond or lake

c)

an overgrowth of algae in a pond or lake

d)

the production of fertilizer or detergent