Geochemical Cycles Packet
Name (s) __________________________
Physical Science
Period _____
Date ______________
Geochemical Nutrient Cycles
Part 1: Carbon Cycle
1.
Carbon Cycle 2. Use the information to answer the questions below.
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html
a.
How does carbon cycle from the atmosphere to the biosphere and back to the atmosphere?
_________________________________________________________________________________
b.
What two processes are involved? _____________________________________________________
c.
What chemical form does carbon travel in during these transitions? ___________________________
d.
How does carbon transfer from one organism to another within the biosphere? __________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
e.
How does carbon transition from the biosphere to the geosphere? (There are two possible routes for
carbon once it has transitioned from the biosphere to the geosphere.)
_________________________________________________________________________________
f.
Carbon can be taken up again from the soil by living things. It can also take a MUCH longer time.
What happens to carbon during this much longer transition? (millions and millions of years….)
_________________________________________________________________________________
g.
If carbon is converted to fossil fuels, how is it released back into the atmosphere?
_________________________________________________________________________________
h.
Other than photosynthesis, describe another way carbon can leave the atmosphere?
_________________________________________________________________________________
i.
How can carbon be stored in the geosphere from marine ecosystems? _________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
j.
How does this carbon re-enter the atmosphere? ___________________________________________
2.
Carbon Cycle 3: Play “The Carbon Cycle Game!” Answer the following questions.
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/earth/climate/carbon_cycle.html
a.
How many stops can be made on your trip? _________________
b.
Will your journey ever end? ________
c.
Will everyone’s journey be the same? ___________ Why or why not? _______________________
d.
What would happen if we burned more fossil fuels?
e.
Once complete, create a map below including your stops and how you reached each destination.
Part 2: Nitrogen Cycle
1.
2.
Nitrogen cycle 1 : Follow the link on the weekly schedule
Nitrogen cycle 2 : Follow the link on the weekly schedule
3.
Using what you have learned from these resources, answer the following questions.
a.
What is the name of the process that converts atmospheric nitrogen into “useable” nitrogen
compounds? ______________________________________________________________________
b.
What organisms are primarily responsible for this process? _________________________________
c.
Why do we need this process? ________________________________________________________
d.
What is nitrogen used for in living organisms? ___________________________________________
e.
Why do we require it? _______________________________________________________________
f.
How do plants get nitrogen? _________________________________________________________
g.
How do animals get nitrogen? ________________________________________________________
h.
What happens to the nitrogen once the plants and animals die? ______________________________
i.
What process allows nitrogen to return to the atmosphere? _________________________________
j.
Explain how human activities are altering the nitrogen cycle. _______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
k.
Draw a typical nitrogen cycle in the box below
Part 3: Phosphorus Cycle
1.
Phosphorus Cycle 1. Use the information to answer the questions below.
http://www.wadsworthmedia.com/biology/starr_udl11_tour/phos_anim.html
a.
During the geochemical phase of the phosphorous cycle, how do plate tectonics play a role in the
phosphorous cycle?
_________________________________________________________________________________
b.
How do phosphates transition from the geochemical portion of the cycle to the ecosystem portion of
the cycle?
_________________________________________________________________________________
c.
How do plants get phosphates? _______________________________________________________
d.
How do animals get phosphates? ______________________________________________________
e.
Why are decomposers so important to plants and animals in the phosphorous cycle?
_________________________________________________________________________________
f.
How is the marine ecosystem portion of the cycle similar to the terrestrial ecosystem portion of the
cycle?
_________________________________________________________________________________
g.
How are phosphorous rich marine sediments renewed by marine ecosystems? __________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
h.
What role to aquatic birds play in the phosphorous cycle? __________________________________
i.
What are the three spheres that phosphorous cycles through? ________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
j.
Which sphere does phosphorous not cycle through? _______________________________________
k.
Describe how humans are altering the phosphorous cycle. __________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
l.
Describe the effect(s) of human activities on the environment. _______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
m,
Draw a typical phosphorous cycle in the box below