CYCLES OF MATTERChapter 2.2

RECYCLING MATTER

Matter can be recycled Matter is anything that takes up space (solid,

liquids, and gases) Energy can’t be recycled

Matter is recycled by moving in cycles, which means they are reused in different ways

WATER CYCLE

This is when water moves from Earth’s surface, to the atmosphere, and then back to the surface

EVAPORATION This is when liquid water turns to gas (steam) Mostly happens on lakes and oceans Energy from the sun makes water evaporate

CONDENSATION This is when water gas (water vapor) cools

and turns back into liquid. Droplets of water stick to a piece of dust and

make clouds

PRECIPITATION When too much

water is in the clouds it rains, snows or hails and falls back to Earth

This is called precipitation

CARBON AND OXYGEN CYCLES

All living things need carbon and oxygen Producers (like plants) take in Carbon Dioxide

(CO2) from the atmosphere They make sugars, which consumers eat Oxygen is released by the producers and

used by consumers

NITROGEN CYCLE

Nitrogen is used by living things to make amino acids, which make proteins, which make…everything.

Muscles, DNA, RNA The air you breathe is 78% nitrogen but you

can’t use it. Why not?

SO HOW DO WE GET NITROGEN? Eat it!

“Free” nitrogen is the kind in the air. Bacteria in the ground captures the free

nitrogen and makes it “fixed” so plants can use it.

NITROGEN FIXATION Nitrogen Fixation is when bacteria takes the

free nitrogen and make it usable by breaking the bonds.

They live in soil, water, and even bumps on some bean and nut plant roots.

RETURN OF NITROGEN Once nitrogen is fixed the plants use it. Decomposers break down the dead plants

(and things that eat the plants when they die).

They give nitrogen back to the ground and release some to air again.

WHAT ELSE HAS ENOUGH ENERGY?

SYNTHETIC NITROGEN FIXATION

PHOSPHORUS CYCLE

BIOGEOCHEMICAL VOCABULARY reservoir: something that holds the

substance over a long amount of time flux: change source: a reservoir that gives off more of

the substance than it takes in sink: a reservoir that takes in more of a

substance than it gives off

WHAT IS PHOSPHORUS? Animals need it to filter waste, repair tissue,

produce energy Plants need it for cell division and

development of new tissue.

LAUNDRY DETERGENT

ALGAL BLOOMS

ALGAL BLOOMS

ALGAL BLOOMS 50 years ago, cause of algal blooms

unknown. Maybe carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus from

agricultural runoff. Small-scale experiments inconclusive. David Schindler divided a lake using a plastic

divider curtain in two. Carbon and nitrogen were added to one half Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were

added to the other half. For eight years, phosphorus side developed

algal blooms, other did not.