Cycles of Matter: Lesson Objectives

Name: Nikiya Drone Class: 2nd Date:03/09/2021
3.4 Cycles of Matter

Lesson Objectives
Describe how matter cycles among the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
Describe how water cycles through the biosphere.
Explain why nutrients are important in living systems.
Describe how the availability of nutrients affects the productivity of ecosystems.
Lesson Summary
Recycling in the Biosphere Matter, unlike energy, is recycled within and between
ecosystems. Elements pass from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to
another through biogeochemical cycles, which are closed loops powered by the flow of energy.
The Water Cycle Water moves between the ocean, the atmosphere, and land.
Evaporation is the process in which water changes from a liquid to a gas.
Transpiration is the process in which water evaporates from the leaves of plants.
Nutrient Cycles The chemical substances that an organism needs to survive are called
nutrients. Like water, nutrients pass through organisms and the environment.
Carbon Cycle: Carbon is a key ingredient of all organic compounds. Processes involved in
the carbon cycle include photosynthesis and human activities such as burning.
Nitrogen Cycle: Nitrogen is needed by all organisms to build proteins. Processes involved
in the nitrogen cycle include nitrogen fixation and denitrification.
● In nitrogen fixation, certain bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia.
● In denitrification, other soil bacteria convert nitrogen compounds called nitrates back into
nitrogen gas.
Phosphorus Cycle: Phosphorus is needed for molecules such as DNA and RNA. Most of the
phosphorus in the biosphere is stored in rocks and ocean sediments. Stored phosphorus is
gradually released into water and soil, where it is used by organisms.
Nutrient Limitation A nutrient that, in short supply, can limit the productivity of an
ecosystem is called a limiting nutrient.
Recycling in the Biosphere

For Questions 1–3, write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, change
the underlined word or words to make the statement true.
1. The four elements that make up over 95 percent of the body in most
organisms are oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and hydrogen.
2. Matter moves through an ecosystem in cycles.
3. Chemical and physical processes include the formation of clouds and
precipitation, “burning” food, and the flow of running water.
Name Class Date
4. VISUAL The illustration draws an

analogy between the way energy drives matter to
cycle in an ecosystem and the way water causes a
waterwheel to turn. Give an example of another
analogy that could be used to show the
relationship between energy and the cycles of
matter.
5. Explain why Earth is considered a closed system.

The earth is a closed system because only energy is naturally transferred
outside the atmosphere.
6. How might building a new highway affect the cycles of matter?

When a new highway is being built, trees and other plants are cleared.
The Water Cycle

7. What role do plants play in the water cycle?
Plants need water to grow and maintain their structure. They absorb
groundwater, that is, water collected below ground level due to percolation of
rainwater, through their root system.
8. THINK Draw a diagram explaining the water cycle. Label the processes
involved as biological or physical/chemical.
Name Class Date
Nutrient Cycles
9. Complete the chart about the carbon cycle.
Processes That Cause Carbon to Move Processes That Cause Carbon to

into the Atmosphere Move out of the Atmosphere
Process Description Process Description
Respiration the release of CO2 by an Photosynthesis the use of sunlight and

organism after breaking CO2 to produce
down carbohydrates into
usable energy
carbohydrates
Volcanic Activity the release of CO2 and Dissolving CO2 dissolves in

other gases into the rainwater and oceans.
atmosphere through vents
in Earth's crust
For Questions 10–12, write the letter of the correct answer on the line at the left.
10. The carbon in coal, oil, and natural gas came from
A. the combustion of fossil fuels.
B. the remains of dead organisms.
C. carbon-fixing bacteria in swamp soil.
D. carbon dioxide dissolved in ocean water.
11. How does most of the carbon in an organism’s body return to the
environment after the organism dies?
A. Decomposers break the body down into simpler compounds.
B. Heat from the sun causes the carbon in the body to evaporate.
C. Geological processes cause the body to turn into a fossil fuel.
D. Rainwater dissolves the carbon in the body and carries it to the ocean.
12. Human processes mainly contribute to the
A. release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
B. decrease of the total amount of carbon found on Earth.
C. depletion of carbon dioxide reserves in the atmosphere.
D. increase in the amount of carbon contained in rock materials.
Name Class Date
Write True if the statement is true. If the statement is false, change the underlined word or
words to make the statement true.
13. Nitrogen, in the form of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite, is found in the soil.
True
14. Nitrogen fixation is the process in which certain bacteria convert nitrogen
gas into nitrates.
Nitrates
15. Denitrification is the process by which some soil bacteria convert nitrates
into nitrogen gas.
true
16. All organisms require nitrogen to make amino acids, which in turn are
used to build carbohydrates.
proteins
17. Phosphate is released as rocks and sediments wear down.
true
18. Plants absorb phosphate from the soil or from water.
true
19. Phosphorus is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere.
Nitrogen
20. Organic phosphate is taken up by producers during photosynthesis and
released by cellular respiration.
Carbon dioxide
21. Phosphorus forms part of the important life-sustaining molecules such as
DNA and RNA.
true
22. Plants absorb phosphorus from the atmosphere or water.
soil
23. List and describe the biological steps in the nitrogen cycle.
Bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia during nitrogen fixation. Other soil bacteria
convert ammonia into nitrates and nitrites. Primary producers use nitrates and nitrites to
make proteins and nucleic acids. Consumers eat producers and reuse nitrogen to make
compounds. Decomposers release nitrogen from waste and dead organisms. Bacteria
convert nitrates into nitrogen gas during denitrification.
24. What is atmospheric nitrogen fixation, and how does it affect organisms?
Atmospheric nitrogen fixation is the process in which lightning converts nitrogen gas in
the atmosphere into usable compounds. It makes nitrogen available to organisms.
25. How do humans add nitrogen to the biosphere?

Humans add nitrogen to the biosphere by using fertilizers that contain nitrogen
26. Which parts of the phosphorus cycle are geological processes?

Geological activity turns marine sediments into rock and washes the phosphates from
the rock into the ocean.
Name Class Date
Nutrient Limitation
Use the diagram of the interlocking nutrients to answer
Question 27.
27. VISUAL The visual analogy compares
interlocking gears to the major nutrients— potassium,
phosphorus, and nitrogen. What other “gears” would be
affected if these gears stopped working together?
Plants and other organisms can also be added to this

analogy. Without potassium, phosphorus and
nitrogen, plants would not be able to live and thrive.
Plants produce oxygen and carbohydrates. Without
these “gears,” animals and most living things would
not survive.
28. If a nutrient were in short supply in an ecosystem, how might it affect an organism?
It would limit an organism’s growth.
29. When is a substance a limiting nutrient?
A substance is a limiting nutrient when it is scarce or cycles very slowly and limits an
ecosystem.
Apply the Big

30.idea
Compare and contrast the flow of energy through an environment with the flow of matter
through that same environment.
Matter moves through an environment differently than the way in which energy moves.
Energy is captured by producers and then passed in a linear progression from one
trophic level to the next. At each level, much of the energy escapes the ecosystem as heat.
Unlike this one-way flow of energy, matter is recycled within and between ecosystems.
Elements pass from one organism to another and among parts of the nonliving
environment through closed loops called biogeochemical cycles

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Name: Nikiya Drone Class: 2nd Date:03/09/2021

3.4 Cycles of Matter

Recycling in the Biosphere

4. VISUAL The illustration draws an

5. Explain why Earth is considered a closed system.

6. How might building a new highway affect the cycles of matter?

The Water Cycle

Processes That Cause Carbon to Move Processes That Cause Carbon to

Process Description Process Description

Respiration the release of CO2 by an Photosynthesis the use of sunlight and

Volcanic Activity the release of CO2 and Dissolving CO2 dissolves in

25. How do humans add nitrogen to the biosphere?

26. Which parts of the phosphorus cycle are geological processes?

Plants and other organisms can also be added to this

Apply the Big

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