Nitrogen and Carbon Cycles Web Quest
Objective: Use the websites given to determine the importance of the nitrogen and carbon cycles and
how these cycles function on Earth.
Nitrogen Cycle
Read the information, and go through the simulations at the websites listed below. Then, answer the
questions about the nitrogen cycle.
Websites:
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0161-the-nitrogen-cycle.php
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Life/nitrogen_cycle.html
http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/lsps07_int_nitrogen/
http://www.to14.com/game.php?id=4d486a36be2dd
https://files.nyu.edu/pet205/public/nitrogen.html
Questions:
1. Why is nitrogen important to organisms?
2. What must happen to nitrogen before plants and animals can use it?
3. What organisms are able to “fix”, or convert, nitrogen to be usable by plants? How else might nitrogen
be “fixed” or converted?
4. Draw and label a graphic showing your understanding of the nitrogen cycle.
Carbon Cycle
Read the information, and go through the simulations at the websites listed below. Then, answer the
questions about the carbon cycle.
Websites:
http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0159-the-carbon-cycle.php
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/carbon_cycle.html
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp58/5802002.html
Questions:
1. How is carbon extracted from the atmosphere?
2. How do animals and humans get carbon?
3. What happens to the carbon in plants and animals when they die?
4. What are ways in which carbon is released into the atmosphere?
5. Draw and label a graphic showing your understanding of the carbon cycle.