CYCLES OF MATTERCYCLES OF MATTER

The Water CycleThe Water Cycle Nutrient CyclesNutrient Cycles

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon CycleThe Nitrogen CycleThe Nitrogen CycleThe PhosphorusThe Phosphorus

The Water Cycle

One atom of oxygen

Two atoms of hydrogen

o-

HH+ +

Water Chemical Water Chemical PropertiesProperties

EvaporationEvaporation

EvaporationEvaporation

The process by which The process by which water changes from water changes from liquid form to an liquid form to an atmospheric gasatmospheric gas

TranspirationTranspiration

TranspirationTranspiration

The process by which The process by which water enters the water enters the atmosphere by atmosphere by evaporating from leavesevaporating from leaves

CondensationCondensation

CondensationCondensation

Heat from the sun changes Heat from the sun changes water into water vaporwater into water vapor

Water vapor produces Water vapor produces droplets of water droplets of water

that form cloudsthat form clouds

PrecipitationPrecipitation

PrecipitationPrecipitationResults when the water droplets Results when the water droplets

are large enough and the water are large enough and the water returns to Earth’s surfacereturns to Earth’s surface

The form may consist of rain, The form may consist of rain, snow, sleet, or hailsnow, sleet, or hail

Rain or snow falls from Rain or snow falls from cloudsclouds

EvaporationThe vapor rises

CondensationThe Clouds form

PrecipitationThe rain falls

TranspirationThe movement through plants

Water Cycle SongWater Cycle Song(to the tune of “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain”)(to the tune of “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain”)

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does.Use pointer finger to draw large circle in air.

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does.Repeat above motion.

It goes up as evaporation,Raise arms at side with palms up.

Forms clouds as condensation,Brings hands together above head, forming large cloud shape with arms.

Then falls down as precipitation, yes it does.Slowly lower arms at side with palms down, fingers moving.

The Carbon CycleThe Carbon Cycle

Carbon CycleCarbon Cycle

Importance of CarbonImportance of Carbon

Found in all living organismsFound in all living organisms Found in the oceans, air, and certain Found in the oceans, air, and certain

types of rockstypes of rocks Less than 1 % circulates within the Less than 1 % circulates within the

biospherebiosphere

Four Process of the Carbon CycleFour Process of the Carbon Cycle Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration; Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration;

decomposition of plants and animalsdecomposition of plants and animals Release of CORelease of CO22 into the atmosphere by into the atmosphere by

volcanoesvolcanoes Burial of carbon rich remains of organisms, Burial of carbon rich remains of organisms,

their conversion into coal and petroleum their conversion into coal and petroleum (fossil fuels) through the pressure of overlying (fossil fuels) through the pressure of overlying earthearth

Human Activity: mining, burning of fossil Human Activity: mining, burning of fossil fuels, cutting and burning down of forestsfuels, cutting and burning down of forests

Steps of the Carbon CycleSteps of the Carbon Cycle Carbon Dioxide is present in the atmosphereCarbon Dioxide is present in the atmosphere Released in the air by volcanic activity, Released in the air by volcanic activity,

burning of fossil fuels, and decomposition of burning of fossil fuels, and decomposition of organic matterorganic matter

Plants take in COPlants take in CO22 and use it to produce high and use it to produce high energy sugars (carbohydrates) during energy sugars (carbohydrates) during photosynthesisphotosynthesis

Carbohydrates are passed along the food chain Carbohydrates are passed along the food chain to other organismsto other organisms

Steps of the Carbon CycleSteps of the Carbon Cycle Carbon is found in the oceans, along with calcium Carbon is found in the oceans, along with calcium

and oxygen, in calcium carbonate (CaCOand oxygen, in calcium carbonate (CaCO33), which is ), which is produced by many marine organismsproduced by many marine organisms

Calcium carbonate can also be formed chemically in Calcium carbonate can also be formed chemically in certain marine environments; it accumulates in certain marine environments; it accumulates in marine sediments and in the bones and shells of marine sediments and in the bones and shells of organismsorganisms

They eventually breakdown and the carbon returns to They eventually breakdown and the carbon returns to the atmospherethe atmosphere

ReferencesReferences Missouri Science Teaching and Education Missouri Science Teaching and Education

PartnershipsPartnerships Prentice Hall Biology by Miller and LevinePrentice Hall Biology by Miller and Levine

Phosphorus CyclePhosphorus Cycle

The Phosphorus CycleThe Phosphorus CycleAnimal

manuresand biosolids Mineral

fertilizers

Crop harvest

Runoff anderosion

Leaching(usually minor)

Organic phosphorus•Microbial•Plant residue•Humus

Primaryminerals(apatite)

Plant residues

Plantuptake

Soil solutionphosphorus•HPO4

-2

•H2PO4-1

Secondarycompounds

(CaP, FeP, MnP, AlP)

DissolutionDissolution

PrecipitationPrecipitation

Mineralsurfaces

(clays, Fe and Al oxides,

carbonates)W

eathe

ring

Wea

therin

g

AdsorptionAdsorption

Mineralization

Mineralization

Immobilization

ImmobilizationDesorptionDesorption

Input to soilComponent Loss from soil

Atmosphericdeposition

Phosphorus Cycle                      Phosphorus Cycle                     

       

Importance of PhosphorusImportance of Phosphorus Components of nucleic acids (DNA Components of nucleic acids (DNA

and RNA); life sustaining moleculesand RNA); life sustaining molecules Part of biological membranesPart of biological membranes Absorbed by plants from the soil or Absorbed by plants from the soil or

water and bind the phosphate into water and bind the phosphate into organic compoundsorganic compounds

Phosphorus FactsPhosphorus Facts Not common in the biosphereNot common in the biosphere Remains mostly on land in rock and soil Remains mostly on land in rock and soil

minerals, and in ocean sedimentsminerals, and in ocean sediments Exists in the form of inorganic phosphatesExists in the form of inorganic phosphates Released by the breakdown of rocks and Released by the breakdown of rocks and

sedimentssediments Some is washed into rivers and streams, where Some is washed into rivers and streams, where

it dissolvesit dissolves

Eventually ends up in oceans where it is used Eventually ends up in oceans where it is used by marine organismsby marine organisms

Some phosphates stay on land and cycle Some phosphates stay on land and cycle between organisms and the soilbetween organisms and the soil

Organic phosphates move through the food Organic phosphates move through the food web, from producers to consumers, and to the web, from producers to consumers, and to the rest of the ecosystemrest of the ecosystem

Graphic courtesy of www.cst.cmich.edu/centers/mwrc/ phosphorus%20cycle.htm

The Nitrogen The Nitrogen CycleCycle

Importance of NitrogenImportance of Nitrogen All organisms need nitrogen to make amino acids, the All organisms need nitrogen to make amino acids, the

building blocks of proteinsbuilding blocks of proteins Several different forms of nitrogen occur naturally in Several different forms of nitrogen occur naturally in

the atmospherethe atmosphere Nitrogen gas (NNitrogen gas (N22) makes up about 78% of the Earth’s ) makes up about 78% of the Earth’s

atmosphereatmosphere Nitrogen-containing substances are found in wastes Nitrogen-containing substances are found in wastes

produced by many organisms as well as dead or produced by many organisms as well as dead or decaying ones; examples are ammonia (NHdecaying ones; examples are ammonia (NH33), nitrate ), nitrate ions (NOions (NO33), and nitrite ions (NO), and nitrite ions (NO2)2)

Importance of NitrogenImportance of Nitrogen Nitrogen also exists in different forms in the Nitrogen also exists in different forms in the

oceans and other large bodies of wateroceans and other large bodies of water Human activity adds nitrogen to the biosphere Human activity adds nitrogen to the biosphere

in the form of nitrate (a major component of in the form of nitrate (a major component of plant fertilizers)plant fertilizers)

Steps of the Nitrogen CycleSteps of the Nitrogen Cycle Only certain types of bacteria can use the form Only certain types of bacteria can use the form

of nitrogen gasof nitrogen gas Bacteria that live in the soil, on the roots of Bacteria that live in the soil, on the roots of

plants called legumes, can convert nitrogen plants called legumes, can convert nitrogen gas into ammonia (NHgas into ammonia (NH33): process is called ): process is called nitrogen fixationnitrogen fixation

Other bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates Other bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates and nitritesand nitrites

Steps of the Nitrogen CycleSteps of the Nitrogen Cycle Once nitrates and nitrites are available, producers use Once nitrates and nitrites are available, producers use

them to make their own proteinsthem to make their own proteins Upon death, decomposers return the nitrogen back to Upon death, decomposers return the nitrogen back to

the soil as ammoniathe soil as ammonia The ammonia is taken back up by the producersThe ammonia is taken back up by the producers Other bacteria convert the nitrates back into nitrogen Other bacteria convert the nitrates back into nitrogen

gas: process is called denitrificationgas: process is called denitrification Denitrification releases nitrogen back into the Denitrification releases nitrogen back into the

atmosphereatmosphere