Nutrient cycle

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nutrient-cycle

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key cycles?Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Water, Oxygen
2. What is the distinguishing feature?Nutrient movement is cyclic, contrasting with the unidirectional flow of energy
3. Why do nutrient cycles matter for plants?They give plants the minerals they need for growth, and help make food for animals and people.
4. How does photosynthesis help nutrient cycles?Photosynthetic organisms turn carbon dioxide from the air into organic matter, starting the carbon cycle and giving life energy.

Biogeochemical Cycle: The pathway by which a chemical substance moves through biotic and abiotic compartments of Earth.
Nitrogen Fixation: The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia or other nitrogen compounds usable by organisms.
Eutrophication: The excessive richness of nutrients in a body of water, causing dense growth of plant life and depletion of oxygen.