Biology Chapter on Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles

Plants take in carbon dioxide from the air and water, using it to make their food (sugars).

All living things release carbon dioxide as a waste product when breaking down food.

Coal, oil, and natural gas formed from ancient buried organic matter.

Decomposers break down dead organisms, releasing carbon back into the environment.

The continuous movement of carbon between the atmosphere, living things, and the Earth.

Bacteria converting unusable nitrogen in the atmosphere into usable nitrogen compounds for plants.

The continuous movement of nitrogen between the atmosphere, soil, plants, animals, and back to the atmosphere.

Unusable form of nitrogen, abundant in the air.

Forms of nitrogen that plants and animals can use for growth and survival.

Dead organisms and waste returning nitrogen compounds to the soil.