The nitrogen cycle

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Ari reads a flow diagram of a pea field. The process on the arrow from N₂ gas in air to living things is blank. Which process is it?

   • Denitrification, which sends nitrate back to the air
   • Nitrogen fixation
   • Nitrification, which makes nitrate from ammonium
   • Ammonification, which makes ammonium from remains
2. 2.

   Bo reads a flow diagram. The process on the arrow from nitrate to N₂ gas in air is blank. Which process is it?

   • Nitrification, which makes nitrate from nitrite
   • Denitrification
   • Nitrogen fixation, which makes N₂ usable for plants
   • Uptake by roots, which removes nitrate for good
3. 3.

   Esme reads a flow diagram of a forest floor. The process on the arrow from wastes and remains to ammonium is blank. Which process is it?

   • Destruction, which removes the nitrogen in the remains
   • Ammonification
   • Nitrification, which makes nitrite from ammonium
   • Denitrification, which sends nitrate back to the air
4. 4.

   Kira learns the term denitrification. Which sentence gives its meaning?

   • Bacteria change nitrate into N₂ gas, which returns to the air
   • Bacteria change ammonium into nitrite in the soil near the roots
   • Bacteria destroy the nitrogen in remains so the soil has less
   • Bacteria change N₂ gas into forms of nitrogen that plants can use
5. 5.

   Luz learns the term root nodule. Which sentence gives its meaning?

   • A small seed case that holds the nitrogen a bean plant needs
   • A small pocket in the soil where decomposers store nitrogen
   • A small opening on a leaf where a plant takes in N₂ gas
   • A small part of a legume root where Rhizobium bacteria live
6. 6.

   Ammonium; nitrate; N₂ gas; nitrite. Ammonification has just made the ammonium from wastes and remains. Milo lists forms of nitrogen in the order bacteria change them. Which order is right?

   • Ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, N₂ gas
   • N₂ gas, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate
   • Nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, N₂ gas
   • Ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, N₂ gas
7. 7.

   Noah follows one nitrogen atom from the air, into a pea plant, through the soil and back to the air. Which order of processes is right?

   • Denitrification, fixation, ammonification, nitrification
   • Fixation, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification
   • Fixation, nitrification, ammonification, denitrification
   • Ammonification, fixation, denitrification, nitrification
8. 8.

   Pia plans a pea plot, then a new crop. Which order of events is right for the nitrogen?

   • Fixation, ammonification, denitrification, uptake of nitrate
   • Uptake of nitrate, fixation, ammonification, nitrification
   • Fixation, ammonification, uptake of nitrate, nitrification
   • Fixation, ammonification, nitrification, uptake of nitrate
9. 9.

   Pia learns that gardeners grow peas to add nitrogen to the soil. Why do peas help?

   • Their roots make nitrogen from sunlight and water
   • Rhizobium bacteria in their root nodules fix N₂ gas
   • Their leaves take N₂ gas from the air and store it in the soil
   • Bacteria around their roots are harmful, so peas make nitrogen alone
10. 10.

    Ren looks at the roots of a bean plant. Which living things in the root nodules fix N₂?

    • Rhizobium bacteria
    • Decomposer fungi that make ammonium
    • Pockets of N₂ gas the leaves took in
    • Cyanobacteria from sunlit water