Cycles of Life
Water Cycle The continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and the air, changing from liquid to gas to liquid.
Evaporation Liquid changes to a gas
Condensation Gas changes to a liquid
Any form of water particles- rain, sleet, snow, or hail Precipitation Any form of water particles- rain, sleet, snow, or hail
Water Vapor Water in its gas state
Watershed An area on which water flows downhill to a common stream, lake, or river
The water that flows downhill to a common stream, lake, or river Runoff The water that flows downhill to a common stream, lake, or river
The Carbon Cycle The continuous transfer of carbon between the atmosphere and living things.
How does carbon enter the air? When plants and animals decay When animals breathe out When fossil fuels are burned (car exhaust)
How do plants use carbon? Plants use carbon from carbon dioxide to make sugars, starches, and protein.
What happens to the carbon when living things die? Turned into carbon dioxide by decomposers OR stored as fossil fuels.
How do animals use carbon? Animals use the carbon in sugars, starches, and proteins to make their own body chemicals.
Why do you need nitrogen? To make the parts of your body such as muscles, nerves, skin, bones, blood, and digestive juices.
Air is made up of _____% nitrogen. 78
Animals get nitrogen by eating proteins. Plants get nitrogen by the soil.
Nitrogen moves between the air, soil, plants, and animals Nitrogen Cycle Nitrogen moves between the air, soil, plants, and animals
Name some substances that contain nitrogen. Nitrates and nitrites
Organisms that recycle matter from dead organisms Decomposers Organisms that recycle matter from dead organisms
Substances used to add minerals to the soil. Fertilizers Substances used to add minerals to the soil.
Inexhaustible Resource Will never run out Example: Sun
Examples: paper, metals, glass Exhaustible Resource Can eventually run out Examples: paper, metals, glass
Raw Materials The building blocks of products Examples: Wood, metal, sand, oil
Nonrenewable Resources Can eventually be all used up Can’t reuse Examples: Oil, metals
Can be replaced within time Renewable Resources Can be replaced within time Examples: Paper