Water Cycle: movement of water between the oceans, atmosphere, land and living things condensation precipitation runoff evaporation groundwater

Water Cycle Notes Evaporation – Sun’s energy causes water to change from a liquid to a gas Condensation – water cools and changes from a gas to a liquid Precipitation – Water that falls from the atmosphere as rain, sleet, hail, snow Most precipitation falls into ocean Runoff – precipitation that falls on land and flows into streams, rivers, and lakes Groundwater – precipitation that seeps into the ground and is stored Transpiration – process by which plants release water vapor back into the atmosphere

Water cycle notes: continued Water is important because Organisms are mainly composed of water Water transports nutrients and wastes Regulates temperatures Slows down chemical reactions Carries dissolved gases (CO2, O2) Dissolves chemicals cells need

Carbon (carbon dioxide) and oxygen cycle

Carbon (carbon dioxide) and oxygen cycle notes Organic molecules – molecules that contain carbon Photosynthesis – basis of the carbon cycle Use carbon dioxide from air to make sugar Release oxygen to atmosphere Cellular Respiration Uses oxygen and releases carbon dioxide into the air Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration recycle oxygen and carbon dioxide

Carbon (carbon dioxide) and oxygen cycle notes continued Decomposition Fungi and bacteria break substances into simpler molecules and return carbon dioxide and water back to environment Combustion Process of burning a substance Releases carbon dioxide into the air

Nitrogen cycle

Nitrogen cycle notes Organisms cannot use nitrogen gas directly from atmosphere In the process of Nitrogen Fixation, nitrogen fixing bacteria take nitrogen gas and make compounds that organisms can use Legumes pass nitrogen into the food chain through consumers Nitrogen gets back into the atmosphere through decay, bacteria, and wastes Why is Nitrogen Important? Nitrogen makes up part of DNA and proteins