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Goals for this class
Be able to explain the process of the water cycle.
Be able to explain the process of the carbon/oxygen
cycle and how humans influence it.
Environmental Science:
Cycles of Matter
Be able to explain the process of the nitrogen cycle.
Chapter 2 Section 1
Water Cycle
Water Cycle
Evaporation- liquid water turning to gas.
Condensation- water vapor (gas) turning to a liquid.
Precipitation- water falling back to earth.
Runoff- water running off land into bodies of water.
Carbon/Oxygen Cycle
Human influence
Photosynthesis- intake of CO2 and solar energy to
make sugars and O2
Activities release CO2
Animals take in O2 and break sugars down to
release CO2
Decrease absorption of CO2 and production of O2
Burning fossil fuels, fires, and factories
Cut down trees and other plants
Decomposers break down waste and dead
organisms to put CO2 in the soil
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Carbon/Oxygen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen moves from air to soil to organisms and
back to air
Nitrogen fixation- changing free nitrogen gas to a
usable form of nitrogen.
Bacteria break down waste or dead organisms to
release nitrogen back into air
Nitrogen Cycle
Key Questions
How could we increase the amount of oxygen in
the air?
How can we decrease the amount of CO2 in the
air?
How can we increase the amount of oxygen in
the soil?
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