CARBON FactsCARBON Facts

Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are made of CARBON

You are made out of CARBON Fossil Fuels (oil, natural gas, coal) are

stored CARBON Makes up 0.038% of the atmosphere as

carbon dioxide

Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are made of CARBON

You are made out of CARBON Fossil Fuels (oil, natural gas, coal) are

stored CARBON Makes up 0.038% of the atmosphere as

carbon dioxide

the CARBON cyclethe CARBON cycle

Plants, algae, and some bacteria remove carbon dioxide from the air and fix it into sugar photosynthesis

Consumers eat Producers Back into the atmosphere through cellular

respiration When consumers die, they turn into fossil fuels Combustion, burning of fossil fuels

Plants, algae, and some bacteria remove carbon dioxide from the air and fix it into sugar photosynthesis

Consumers eat Producers Back into the atmosphere through cellular

respiration When consumers die, they turn into fossil fuels Combustion, burning of fossil fuels

NITROGEN facts

• All organisms need NITROGEN to make proteins and DNA

• 78% of atmosphere is NITROGEN gas

• Nitrogen gas is so stable it does not readily combine with other elements

• Must be broken down first to combine with other elements

1. Nitrogen fixation- conversion of gaseous nitrogen into ammonia (NH3)- Nitrogen is fixed into a form organisms can use- Combustion, volcanic action, lightning, bacteria

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2. Nitrification- Conversion of ammonia to nitrite (NO2

-) and nitrate (NO3-)

- Soil bacteria perform this

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3. Assimilation- Plant roots absorb nitrate or ammonium and put these

molecules into plant proteins and nucleic acids

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4. Ammonification- conversion of biological nitrogen compounds into

ammonia (NH3)- Begins when organisms produce nitrogen-containing

waste (urea)

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5. Denitrification- reduction of nitrate (NO3

-) to gaseous nitrogen

- Denitrifying bacteria reverse the action of nitrogen-fixing bacteria- Return it to the atmosphere

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