Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus in the Animal Kingdom Required in every cell in the human body Most phosphorus is in the form of phosphate PO 4 85% of the phosphorus in the body is in bone in the form of Calcium Phosphate Cell membranes have the phospholipid bi-layer DNA and RNA have phosphate as one of the three components of the nucleotide /lipidbilayer.gif _nucleotide.jpg
Remember All living things are made up of cells (The Cell Theory) DNA is found in all cells as the genetic material ATP has three phosphate groups and powers cells No phosphate? No DNA, no power. _files/image002.gif
Phosphorus Phosphorus is unique in that it does not enter the atmosphere, whereas carbon, nitrogen and oxygen do cycle through the atmosphere in the gaseous state. PhosphorusCycle-L.gif/ / PhosphorusCycle-L.gif
Phosphorus Cycle 1)Phosphate is often mined from sedimentary rock or collected from guano 2)It is added to crops as a fertilizer or added to animal feed as a supplement 3)Once in the producers, phosphate cycles through the food web although it never exists in the gaseous state
Click Click Reminder of the Carbon Cycle
Information sources for phosphate information: phosphorus/