Download My Journey as a Nitrogen Atom By:

My Journey as a Nitrogen Atom
By: ______________________________
List the places you traveled in order
and describe your journey.
1. ___________________________ —> ____________________________
Nitrogen in air
to
Bonds broken by
lightning or bacteria
2. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
3. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
4. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
5. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
6. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
7. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
8. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
9. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
10. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
11. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
12. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
13. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
14. ___________________________—> ___________________________
15. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
16. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
17. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
18. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
19. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
20. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
£
β
Nitrogen in soil
to
Nitrogen in DNA
or protein of a plant
Ϙ
Nitrogen in soil
to
Nitrogen in DNA
or protein of a plant
∞
Ω
∂
µ
Nitrogen in fertilizer
to
Nitrogen in
run-off or a plant
Nitrogen in DNA/Protein
of an organism gets
decomposed
to
Nitrogen released
as N2 in the air OR
used as fertilizer
Nitrogen in animal’s DNA/Protein
to
Nitrogen in poop or dead animal
Nitrogen in run-off causes
a lot of me to feed a lot of algae
to
eventually end up in a
Decomposer and I go
into the air as N2, or fertilizer
Ϙ
Draw arrows with numbers to describe your
journey.
Draw 2 pictures at each
station to show what
happened to you (see
example at ∂ station).
Make your map colorful!
1.
2.
3.
INSTRUCTIONS
Nitrogen in soil
to
Nitrogen in DNA
or protein of a plant
£
Nitrogen in soil
to
Nitrogen in DNA
or protein of a plant
∞
N
∂
Nitrogen in fertilizer
to
Nitrogen in
run-off or a plant
N
Nitrogen in animal’s DNA/Protein
to
Nitrogen in poop or dead animal
Nitrogen in air
to
Bonds broken by
lightning or bacteria
µ
Nitrogen in DNA/Protein
of an organism gets
decomposed
to
Nitrogen released
as N2 in the air OR
used as fertilizer
Nitrogen in run-off causes
a lot of me to feed a lot of algae
to
eventually end up in a
Decomposer and I go
into the air as N2, or fertilizer
Ω
β
My Journey as a Nitrogen Atom
By: ______________________________
Nitrogen in air
to
Bonds broken by
lightning or bacteria
β
Nitrogen is in the air
STUCK together as N2.
Lightning or bacteria
breaks this bond and
makes the nitrogen
usable.
H
H
H
N
H
O
N
O
O
£
Nitrogen in soil
to
Nitrogen in DNA
or protein of a plant
I feed a plant! I travel from the
soil through the roots of a plant.
Inside the plant, the Nitrogen
(me) is used to make plant proteins or plant DNA
(remember—DNA is made of
phosphates, sugar, and nitrogen
bases!).
H
H
N
H
H
O
N
O
O
Ϙ
Nitrogen in soil
to
Nitrogen in DNA
or protein of a plant
Bacteria on the roots of legumes made me usable by plants. I travel from the soil through the
roots of a plant. Inside the plant, the Nitrogen
(me) is used to make plant proteins or plant
DNA (remember—DNA is made of phosphates,
sugar, and nitrogen bases!).
H
H
N
H
H
O
N
O
O
Ω
Nitrogen in DNA/Protein
of an organism gets
decomposed
to
Nitrogen released
as N2 in the air OR
I was inside the plant as a plant
protein or plant DNA, but the
plant died, so I get decomposed!
Here I am!
That’s me!
Here I am!
That’s me!
1. As I get decomposed, I get sent
back into the air as N2!
OR
2. I get decomposed and humans
find a way to use me as fertilizer!
∂
Nitrogen in animal’s DNA/Protein
to
Nitrogen in poop or dead animal
I was inside the plant as a plant protein or
plant DNA, but I was eaten by a cow. I end up
in the cow’s DNA or protein. Moo!
Here I am!
That’s me!
Here I am!
That’s me!
The cow either:
Dies. I get decomposed.
OR
“Excretes” me out and I
become fertilizer!
∞
Nitrogen in fertilizer
to
Nitrogen in run-off or a plant
Humans put me on the
ground. If the timing is
right, I feed a plant.
Yay!
If the timing is wrong, or they put too much of me on
the ground, I “run-off” and take a trip through the
groundwater, rivers, and/or streams, where I cause
chaos! Hahahaha—uh-oh!
µ
Nitrogen in run-off causes
a lot of me to feed a lot of algae
to
eventually end up in a
Decomposer and I go
into the air as N2, or fertilizer
EUTROPHICATION PAAAR-TAY!!!! Algae goes nuts and
grows out of control. Then the algae blocks the sunlight and the other plants in the water die. Decomposers have a big party! But those decomposers use up all
the oxygen, so nobody can breathe and the ecosystem
may collapse. However, I end up back in the air with
my buddies, or I can even become more fertilizer.
Thank goodness my life cycle isn’t over like theirs!
My Journey as a Carbon Atom
By: ______________________________
List the places you traveled in order
and describe your journey.
1. ___________________________ —> ____________________________
2. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
3. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
4. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
5. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
6. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
7. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
8. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
9. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
10. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
11. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
12. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
13. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
14. ___________________________—> ___________________________
15. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
16. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
17. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
18. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
19. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
20. ___________________________ —> ___________________________
Carbon in CO2 inside a PLANTl
to
Carbon in Glucose
via photosynthesis
π
ψ
Carbon in Fossil Fuel (factory)
to
Carbon in Air as CO2 Pollution
Ф
Carbon in Fossil Fuel
to
Factory or Transportation
τ
α
χ
ε
Δ
Carbon in Fossil Fuel (gas)
Combusted to
Carbon in Air as CO2 Pollution
Carbon in Air as CO2!
to
Carbon in CO2 inside a PLANTl
Carbon in Glucose in Animal’s tummy
to
Carbon in Air as CO2!
Carbon in Glucose inside a PLANT
GETS EATEN (TO)
Carbon in Glucose inside an ANIMAL
Carbon in Glucose
to
Carbon in Fossil Fuel
ε
Draw arrows with numbers to describe your
journey.
Draw 2 pictures at each
station to show what
happened to you (see
example at Δ station).
Make your map colorful!
1.
2.
3.
INSTRUCTIONS
Δ
Carbon in Glucose
to
Carbon in Fossil Fuel
Carbon in Glucose in Animal’s tummy
to
Carbon in Air as CO2!
χ
Carbon in Glucose inside a PLANT
GETS EATEN (TO)
Carbon in Glucose inside an ANIMAL
α
τ
Carbon in Air as CO2!
to
Carbon in CO2 inside a PLANTl
Ф
Carbon in Fossil Fuel
to
Factory or Transportation
π
Carbon in Fossil Fuel (factory)
to
Carbon in Air as CO2 Pollution
ψ
Carbon in Fossil Fuel (gas)
Combusted to
Carbon in Air as
Carbon in CO2 inside a PLANTl
to
Carbon in Glucose
via photosynthesis
My Journey as a Carbon Atom
By: ______________________________
Carbon in CO2 inside a PLANTl
to
Carbon in Glucose
via photosynthesis
6H2O + 6CO2+ sun —> C6H1206 + 6O2
π
Through photosynthesis,
carbon moves from carbon
dioxide to glucose. The glucose stores the energy in
carbon, so that it can be
used later by the plant or
eaten by an animal.
ATP is also made for the organism to use as energy.
ε
Carbon in Glucose inside a PLANT
GETS EATEN (TO)
Carbon in Glucose inside an ANIMAL
Glucose inside a plant
Gets eaten and is STILL glucose inside the animal
α
CO2 from the air gets taken
inside a plant and is still
CO2, but is ready to go
through photosynthesis.
Carbon in Air as CO2!
to
Carbon in CO2 inside a PLANTl
Ф
Carbon in Fossil Fuel
to
Factory or Transportation
C
H
C
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
GASOLINE
FOSSIL FUEL IS
USED TO POWER A
FACTORY OR
TRANSPORTATION
C
Δ
Carbon in Glucose
to
Carbon in Fossil Fuel
Glucose and other molecules inside dead organisms are broken down (under the right
conditions over millions of years) and turned
into fossil fuels. Humans refine these into
things like gasoline.
C
H
C
C
H
H
GASOLINE
C
C
C
C
C
ψ
Carbon in Fossil Fuel (factory)
to
Carbon in Air as CO2 Pollution
C
H
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
GASOLINE
Fossil fuels like gasoline
are burned in the presence of oxygen
(combustion) and turned
back into Carbon Dioxide
(usually as pollution).
τ
Carbon in Fossil Fuel (gas)
Combusted to
Carbon in Air as CO2 Pollution
C
H
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
H
H
GASOLINE
Fossil fuels like gasoline
are burned in the presence of oxygen
(combustion) and turned
back into Carbon Dioxide
(usually as pollution).
χ
Carbon in Glucose in Animal’s tummy
to
Carbon in Air as CO2!
C6H1206 + 6O2 —> 6H2O + 6CO2
Through cellular respiration,
carbon moves from glucose
to carbon dioxide. ATP is
made for the organism to
use as energy.
My Journey as a Nitrogen Atom
By: ______________________________
List the places you traveled in order
1. _______________ —> ___________________
10. _______________ —> ___________________
2. _______________ —> ___________________
11. _______________ —> ___________________
3. _______________ —> ___________________
12. _______________ —> ___________________
4. _______________ —> ___________________
13. _______________ —> ___________________
5. _______________ —> ___________________
14. _______________ —> ___________________
6. _______________ —> ___________________
15. _______________ —> ___________________
7. _______________ —> ___________________
16. _______________ —> ___________________
8. _______________ —> ___________________
17. _______________ —> ___________________
9. _______________ —> ___________________
18. _______________ —> ___________________
Using the space below, draw a map of your journey as a Nitrogen Atom