Biogeochemical Cycles

5. The fourth most abundant element in the universe and essential to life on Earth
6. Process by which water changes from a liquid into a gas
7. Process by which droplets of water fall to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail
12. The breaking down of materials by rotting, decay, or microorganisms
13. The most abundant element in the atmosphere, it is essential for life
14. Cycle Process in which water circulates between Earth’s oceans, atmosphere, and land
15. Carbon molecules bonded to hydrogen molecules
16. Precipitation not absorbed into soil that moved to water collection points
17. A system that changes atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms
19. Carbohydrates(glucose) are used to make ATP energy for metabolic reactions
20. Carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight yields glucose and oxygen
21. Nitrifying bacteria convert unusable forms of soil nitrogen into useable forms

1. Microscopic marine plants that use carbon to make shells of calcium carbonate
2. Matter originating from a living organism; contains hydrocarbons
3. Process by which water vapor in the air is changed into liquid water
4. Cycle A system that transfers carbon from one part of the environment to another
8. The process of burning something
9. Turning atmospheric nitrogen into useable forms
10. Glucose and oxygen yield carbon dioxide, water, and ATP energy
11. A process by which green plants turn carbon dioxide into carbohydrates
18. The downward movement of water from land surfaces into soil or porous rock