The nitrogen cycle
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.
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?
- Nitrogen fixation
- Denitrification, which sends nitrate back to the air
- Nitrification, which makes nitrate from ammonium
- Ammonification, which makes ammonium from remains
Bo reads a flow diagram. The process on the arrow from nitrate to N₂ gas in air is blank. Which process is it?
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), soil and air. Boxes: nitrate; N₂ gas in air. Arrows: from nitrate to N₂ gas in air: process blank, by denitrifying bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Clostridium. Flow diagram (model, not to scale), soil and air. Boxes: nitrate; N₂ gas in air. Arrows: from nitrate to N₂ gas in air: process blank, by denitrifying bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Clostridium. process: ____ by: denitrifying bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Clostridium nitrate N₂ gas in air model - Nitrogen fixation, which makes N₂ usable for plants
- Denitrification
- Nitrification, which makes nitrate from nitrite
- Uptake by roots, which removes nitrate for good
Jun learns the term nitrogen fixation. Which sentence gives its meaning?
- Plants use up the nitrogen in the soil so the soil runs out
- Plants take in N₂ gas through their leaves and use it as it is
- Bacteria change nitrate back into N₂ gas, which returns to the air
- N₂ gas is changed into a form living things can use
Kira learns the term denitrification. Which sentence gives its meaning?
- Bacteria change nitrate into N₂ gas, which returns to the air
- Bacteria destroy the nitrogen in remains so the soil has less
- Bacteria change N₂ gas into forms of nitrogen that plants can use
- Bacteria change ammonium into nitrite in the soil near the roots
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?
- Nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, N₂ gas
- N₂ gas, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate
- Ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, N₂ gas
- Ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, N₂ gas
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
- Ammonification, fixation, denitrification, nitrification
- Fixation, ammonification, nitrification, denitrification
- Fixation, nitrification, ammonification, denitrification
Pia plans a pea plot, then a new crop. Which order of events is right for the nitrogen?
- Fixation, ammonification, uptake of nitrate, nitrification
- Uptake of nitrate, fixation, ammonification, nitrification
- Fixation, ammonification, denitrification, uptake of nitrate
- Fixation, ammonification, nitrification, uptake of nitrate
Pia learns that gardeners grow peas to add nitrogen to the soil. Why do peas help?
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), soil and air. Boxes: N₂ gas in air; living things (organic nitrogen). Arrows: from N₂ gas in air to living things (organic nitrogen): process nitrogen fixation, by Rhizobium bacteria in legume root nodules. Flow diagram (model, not to scale), soil and air. Boxes: N₂ gas in air; living things (organic nitrogen). Arrows: from N₂ gas in air to living things (organic nitrogen): process nitrogen fixation, by Rhizobium bacteria in legume root nodules. process: nitrogen fixation by: Rhizobium bacteria in legume root nodules N₂ gas in air living things (organic nitrogen) model - 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
- Their roots make nitrogen from sunlight and water
- Rhizobium bacteria in their root nodules fix N₂ gas
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
- Cyanobacteria from sunlit water
- Pockets of N₂ gas the leaves took in
Tala learns that Rhizobium bacteria live with a pea plant. Where in the plant do they fix N₂?
- In nodules on the roots
- In the seeds, where the plant stores its nitrogen
- Nowhere, since peas fix N₂ without any bacteria
- On the leaves, where air enters the plant

