Biology Vocabulary Quiz

Study Notes

Matter: Any substance that occupies space and has mass.
Nutrient: A chemical compound essential for an organism's survival, obtained from the environment.
Biogeochemical Cycle: Continuous movement and exchange of matter through living organisms and the Earth’s systems.
Nitrogen Fixation: Process converting atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms for plants, facilitated by bacteria or lightning.
Denitrification: Conversion of fixed nitrogen back into nitrogen gas by bacteria.
Cycle: A sequence of events that recur in a predictable fashion.

Natural processes enable the cycling of matter and nutrients through the biosphere, involving interactions between vibrant ecosystems and physical elements.

Ecosystems experience continuous matter cycling via interactions between living organisms and environmental factors.
Nutrients are vital for the survival and development of organisms.

Nutrient cycling includes both biotic (living) organisms and abiotic (non-living) factors.

Evaporation: Water vaporizes from various sources including water bodies, soil, and living beings.
Precipitation: Water falls back to the Earth's surface from the atmosphere in various forms.

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration: Key processes for rapid recycling of carbon and oxygen amongst living beings.
Long-Term Cycle: Occurs when carbon and oxygen form calcium carbonate, locking them in a prolonged cycle.

Nitrogen Fixation: Converts atmospheric nitrogen into compounds that plants can utilize, facilitated by bacteria or electrical storms.
Denitrification: Returns nitrogen to the atmosphere by converting fixed nitrogen back to nitrogen gas.

Essential for Growth: Phosphorus is crucial for the growth and development of all organisms.
Quick Cycling: Phosphorus moves swiftly in different forms (phosphates) through sediments, plants, and consumers.
Weathering and Erosion: Processes that introduce phosphorus into the cycle from the breakdown of rocks.

Phosphorus long-term cycle process: Weathering and erosion.
Nitrogen conversion by bacteria and lightning: Nitrogen fixation.
Largest nitrogen concentration location: The atmosphere.
Long-term carbon and oxygen cycle process: Formation of calcium carbonate.
Processes in the water cycle: Includes evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and transpiration.

Matter: Refers to any substance that occupies space and possesses mass, forming the basis of all physical entities in the universe.
Nutrient: A vital chemical substance essential for the survival of organisms, obtained from their environment to support growth, metabolism, and overall functioning.
Biogeochemical Cycle: Involves the continuous movement and recycling of matter, such as elements and compounds, through various environmental compartments, including the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.
Nitrogen Fixation: A critical process carried out by certain bacteria or during electrical storms that captures atmospheric nitrogen and converts it into a biologically usable form for plants, thus facilitating nutrient availability in ecosystems.
Denitrification: A microbiological process where specific bacteria transform ammonia and other nitrogen compounds back into nitrogen gas, thereby returning nitrogen into the atmosphere and completing the nitrogen cycle.
Cycle: Denotes a sequence of events that repeat over time, reflecting patterns that can be observed in natural phenomena, including ecological and geological processes.