Cycles in Nature 7 th Grade Science Referencing Ch. 2 Environmental Science
Water Cycle
- Movement of water between oceans, atmosphere, land & living things -Parts: 1. Evaporation – liquid to vapor 2. Condensation – vapor to liquid 3. Precipitation – liquid falls from atmosphere 4. Transpiration – evaporation of water from leaves -Same water has been here for billions of years! You drink the same water that the dinosaurs drank!
Carbon Cycle -Exchange of carbon between environment & living things. -Plants use CO 2 from air to make food. -Animals get carbon by eating plants. -Carbon returns to environment through respiration, decomposition, or combustion. -What is respiration, decomposition & combustion?
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle -Movement of nitrogen between environment & living things. -About 78% of air is nitrogen gas. -Most organisms cannot use nitrogen gas directly. -Has to be “fixed” into usable form by bacteria in soil. -Plants take usable nitrogen into roots, animals eat plants.
Nitrogen Cycle