1. Section 2: The Cycling of Matter
Chapter 5
Section 2: The Cycling of Matter

2. Conservation of Mass Matter can not be created of destroyed.
Matter is constantly being recycled throughout the environment.
Cycles:
Carbon, Nitrogen
Phosphorus, Water

3. Carbon Cycle
Carbon is essential for life. It is a very important component in our cells.
It can be cycled through environment in a short-term cycle or a long-term cycle.

4. Carbon Cycle Short-Term Cycle
Photosynthesis pulls CO2 out of atmosphere.
CO2 is turned into a sugar.
Consumers eat the sugar and Cellular Respiration turns sugar back into CO2 to be released into the atmosphere.

5. Carbon Cycle
Some C is turned into Carbonates which form Limestone. Limestone traps C under the Earth’s surface.
Some C found in the bodies of dead organisms gets trapped underground and over many years turns into Coal and Fossil Fuels
Burning Fossil Fuels and Coal releases CO2 back into the atmosphere.

6. Humans and Carbon Cycle
Humans are releasing tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every day by burning coal and fossil fuels.
CO2 is a greenhouse gas that causes Global Warming.

7. Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen is an important component for the proteins in our cells.
Nitrogen is the most abundant gas found in our atmosphere but it can not be used directly by organisms.
It must be changed first.

8. Nitrogen Cycle
Some plants have Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots. These bacteria take N2 gas and turn it into ammonia for the plants to use.
Lightning can convert N2 gas into Nitrates that organisms can use.

9. Nitrogen Cycle
After the organism that is using the Nitrogen is dead, decomposers will eat the organism and release the Nitrogen back into the atmosphere.

10. Phosphorus Cycle Phosphorus does not occur as a gas.
Phosphorus can enter rocks or water through rocks weathering.
As the rocks are broken into their smaller minerals, plants will absorb the minerals.
Humans and animals can eat the plants and when they excrete waste, the P is returned to the soil.

11. Phosphorus Cycle

12. Fertilizers and N & P Cycles
Fertilizer use is at an all time high.
Excess fertilizer sits on top of the ground and is carried to water sources by runoff water.
Excess N & P in the water accelerates the growth of algae. This causes Algal Blooms.
The excess algae can suffocate the wildlife in the water.