explain nitrogen cycle(class 8 science)
Answers
Explanation:
Nitrogen Cycle is a biogeochemical process through which nitrogen is converted into many forms, consecutively passing from the atmosphere to the soil to organism and back into the atmosphere.
It involves several processes such as nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, decay and putrefaction.
Nitrogen gas exists in both organic and inorganic forms. Organic nitrogen exists in living organisms, and they get passed through the food chain by the consumption of other living organisms.
Inorganic forms of nitrogen are found in abundance in the atmosphere. This nitrogen is made available to plants by symbiotic bacteria which can convert the inert nitrogen into a usable form – such as nitrites and nitrates.
Nitrogen undergoes various types of transformation to maintain a balance in the ecosystem. Furthermore, this process extends to various biomes, with the marine nitrogen cycle being one of the most complicated biogeochemical cycles.
Stages of Nitrogen Cycle
Process of Nitrogen Cycle consists of the following steps – Nitrogen fixation, Nitrification, Assimilation, Ammonification and Denitrification. These processes take place in several stages and are explained below:
Nitrogen fixation
It is the initial step of the nitrogen cycle. Here, Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) which is primarily available in an inert form, is converted into the usable form -ammonia (NH3).
During the process of Nitrogen fixation, the inert form of nitrogen gas is deposited into soils from the atmosphere and surface waters, mainly through precipitation. Later, the nitrogen undergoes a set of changes, in which two nitrogen atoms get separated and combine with hydrogen to form ammonia (NH4+).
The entire process of Nitrogen fixation is completed by symbiotic bacteria which are known as Diazotrophs. Azotobacter and Rhizobium also have a major role in this process. These bacteria consist of a nitrogenase enzyme which has the capability to combine gaseous nitrogen with hydrogen to form ammonia.
Nitrogen fixation can occur either by atmospheric fixation- which involves lightening or industrial fixation by manufacturing ammonia under high temperature and pressure condition. This can also be fixed through man-made processes, primarily industrial processes that create ammonia and nitrogen-rich fertilisers.
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Explanation:
Nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere, but it is unusable to plants or animals unless it is converted into nitrogen compounds.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria play a crucial role in fixing the atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen compounds that can be used by plants.
The plants absorb the usable nitrogen compounds from the soil through their roots. Then, these nitrogen compounds are used for the production of proteins and other compounds in the cell.
Animals assimilate nitrogen by consuming these plants or other animals that contain nitrogen. Humans consume proteins from these plants and animals and then, the nitrogen assimilates into our system.
During the final stages of the nitrogen cycle, bacteria and fungi help decompose organic matter, where the nitrogenous compounds get dissolved into the soil which is again used by the plants.
Some bacteria then convert these nitrogenous compounds in the soil and turn it into nitrogen gas. Eventually, it goes back to the atmosphere.
These sets of processes repeat continuously and thus maintain the percentage of nitrogen in the atmosphere.