biogeochemical cycles: the nitrogen cycle
decide if each statement is true or false - drag & drop your verdict into the box. if you think it is false, write an explanation why
statement verdict explanation
during storms, lightning adds nitrogen to the earths atmosphere. false
denitrifying bacteria are able to return nitrogen directly to the atmosphere. true
animals and plants can take in and use nitrogen gas from the atmosphere when they respire. true plants need fixed nitrogen, animals get nitrogen from food
without bacteria, the nitrogen cycle would still function but not as efficiently. false without the bacteria the nitrogen cycle would not happened
nitrification turns ammonium ions into nitrites and nitrates. true

Question

biogeochemical cycles: the nitrogen cycle
decide if each statement is true or false - drag & drop your verdict into the box. if you think it is false, write an explanation why
statement	verdict	explanation
during storms, lightning adds nitrogen to the earths atmosphere.	false	
denitrifying bacteria are able to return nitrogen directly to the atmosphere.	true	
animals and plants can take in and use nitrogen gas from the atmosphere when they respire.	true	plants need fixed nitrogen, animals get nitrogen from food
without bacteria, the nitrogen cycle would still function but not as efficiently.	false	without the bacteria the nitrogen cycle would not happened
nitrification turns ammonium ions into nitrites and nitrates.	true

Accepted Answer

### For the statement "During storms, lightning adds nitrogen to the Earth’s atmosphere"
# Brief Explanations:
Lightning actually helps in nitrogen fixation by converting atmospheric nitrogen ($N_2$) into nitrogen oxides (like $NO$, $NO_2$) which then dissolve in rain and enter the soil. So lightning doesn't add nitrogen to the atmosphere (the atmosphere is already mostly nitrogen), but rather helps in converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can enter the biosphere. So the original verdict of FALSE is correct. The explanation should be: Lightning helps fix atmospheric nitrogen (converts $N_2$ to nitrogen oxides) which then enter the soil via rain, it does not add nitrogen to the atmosphere (atmosphere is already ~78% nitrogen).
# Answer:
Verdict: FALSE. Explanation: Lightning helps fix atmospheric nitrogen (converts $N_2$ to nitrogen oxides) which then enter the soil via rain, it does not add nitrogen to the atmosphere (atmosphere is already ~78% nitrogen).

### For the statement "Denitrifying bacteria are able to return nitrogen directly to the atmosphere"
# Brief Explanations:
Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates (in soil, etc.) back into nitrogen gas ($N_2$) which is released into the atmosphere. So this statement is True.
# Answer:
Verdict: TRUE. Explanation: Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates to nitrogen gas ($N_2$) which is released to the atmosphere.

### For the statement "Animals and plants can take in and use nitrogen gas from the atmosphere when they respire"
# Brief Explanations:
Plants cannot use atmospheric nitrogen gas ($N_2$) directly; they need fixed nitrogen (like nitrates, ammonia) from the soil (via nitrogen-fixing bacteria, fertilizers, etc.). Animals get nitrogen from the food they eat (which has fixed nitrogen from plants or other animals). So they cannot take in and use $N_2$ from the atmosphere during respiration. The original verdict of TRUE is incorrect, it should be FALSE. The given explanation is correct, and the verdict should be changed to FALSE.
# Answer:
Verdict: FALSE. Explanation: Plants need fixed nitrogen (can't use $N_2$ gas directly), animals get nitrogen from food, neither can use $N_2$ gas from the atmosphere during respiration.

### For the statement "Without bacteria, the nitrogen cycle would still function but not as efficiently"
# Brief Explanations:
Bacteria are essential for nitrogen fixation (converting $N_2$ to fixed nitrogen), nitrification (converting ammonia to nitrates), and denitrification (converting nitrates back to $N_2$). Without bacteria, these key processes in the nitrogen cycle would not occur, so the nitrogen cycle would not function at all (not just less efficiently). So the original verdict of FALSE is correct. The explanation has a typo ("not happened" should be "not happen"), and a better explanation is: Bacteria are essential for nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification. Without bacteria, these key processes of the nitrogen cycle would not occur, so the nitrogen cycle would not function.
# Answer:
Verdict: FALSE. Explanation: Bacteria are essential for nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification. Without bacteria, these key processes of the nitrogen cycle would not occur, so the nitrogen cycle would not function.

### For the statement "Nitrification turns ammonium ions into nitrites and nitrates"
# Brief Explanations:
Nitrification is the process where ammonia-oxidizing bacteria convert ammonia ($NH_3$) to ammonium ions ($NH_4^+$) and then nitrite-oxidizing bacteria convert nitrites ($NO_2^-$) to nitrates ($NO_3^-$). Wait, actually, the first step of nitrification is converting ammonium ($NH_4^+$) to nitrites ($NO_2^-$) and then to nitrates ($NO_3^-$). So the statement that nitrification turns ammonium ions into nitrites and nitrates is True.
# Answer:
Verdict: TRUE. Explanation: Nitrification involves converting ammonium ions ($NH_4^+$) to nitrites ($NO_2^-$) and then to nitrates ($NO_3^-$) via bacterial action.

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Question

Explanation:

For the statement "During storms, lightning adds nitrogen to the Earth’s atmosphere"

Answer:

For the statement "Denitrifying bacteria are able to return nitrogen directly to the atmosphere"