August 31biogeochemical Cycles Webquest Activity

Name ___________________________ Section _________________
Biogeochemical Cycles Webquest

In this webquest, you will use the given websites to find the answers to questions about the
water, carbon/oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous cycles. Answer all questions in the spaces
provided.
Water Cycle Introduction
Precipitation, evaporation, and condensation are all terms that you recognize, but what do they mean?
They are all part of the water cycle, which is a complex process that not only gives us water to drink and
food to eat, but also helps our plants grow. Only about 3% of the Earth’s water is fresh, and 1% of that
water can be used for many human purposes. Why can’t we use the other 2% of the fresh water found
on the Earth? What about the other 97% of the water found in the world? To find these answers and to
discover more, come along for an interactive journey through the water cycle!
Website #1: http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html (choose auto, or

start with Rain)
1. Another name for rain, snow, sleet, and hail is Click to answer. This occurs when there is
so much Click to answer in the Click to answer that it cannot hold onto it anymore.
2. Name some locations where water is stored on earth. Click to answer
3. Click to answer is when water vapor comes from Click to answer, Click to answer, and land.
4. Which temperature causes water vapor to turn back into clouds? Click to answer
5. What is the name for the process that forms clouds? Click to answer
Website #2:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/oceans_weather_climate/media/watercycle.swf
6. How much of the Earth’s water exists in each of the following locations?
7. Click on “Person” and record two interesting facts about how individual people use
water.
a. Click to answer
b. Click to answer
8. Click on “Agriculture” and record two interesting facts about agricultural uses of water.
a. Click to answer
b. Click to answer
Adapted from http://www.firelandsschools.org/Downloads/Biogeochemical_Cycles_Webquest1.pdf

Carbon Cycle Introduction
Carbon is an element that is found in all organisms, fossil fuels, soil, the ocean, and the atmosphere. We
take part in the carbon cycle by breathing CO 2 into the air; autotrophs participate by removing
atmospheric CO2 for use in building leaves, stems and other organs through the process of
photosynthesis. As we burn more and more fossil fuels such as oil and coal, we release large amounts of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere more than can be removed by oceans and photosynthetic
organisms. Within the atmosphere, this extra CO 2 traps heat. As more CO2 accumulates, the Earth
becomes warmer through a process known as the greenhouse effect.
Website: https://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/carbon_cycle.html
Introduction:
1. How long has carbon been underground? Click to answer
2. Underground, carbon can be stored in Click to answer, which humans Click to answer.
Carbon in the Atmosphere:
3. When carbon is in the atmosphere, it’s usually in the form of molecules of Click to answer,
which is a Click to answer.
4. More Click to answer in our atmosphere makes our planet Click to answer.
Go towards the plant:
5. Which process in plants removes carbon from the atmosphere? Click to answer
6. If carbon were to leave the plant, which process would allow for that to happen? Click to answer
Go towards the soil:
7. What happened to the plant the carbon was part of? Click to answer
8. Carbon is now part of detritus; what is detritus? Click to answer
9. Where does carbon go to from the soil? Click to answer
Go towards the atmosphere, and then continue towards the surface ocean:
10. List the 3 ways carbon can enter the ocean.
a. Click to answer
b. Click to answer
c. Click to answer
11. Which absorbs more carbon, the land or the ocean? Click to answer
Move towards marine life.
12. Click to answer absorb carbon through the process of Click to answer.

Nitrogen Cycle Introduction
The nitrogen cycle is one of the most important nutrient cycles found in terrestrial ecosystems. Nitrogen
is used by living organisms to produce a number of complex organic molecules like amino acids,
proteins, and nucleic acids. The majority of nitrogen is found in the atmosphere, where it exists as a gas
(mainly N2). Other major reserves of nitrogen include organic matter in soil and the oceans. Despite its
large quantity in the atmosphere, nitrogen is often the most limiting nutrient for plant growth. This
problem occurs because most plants can only take up nitrogen in two solid forms: the ammonium ion
(NH4+) and the nitrate ion (NO3–). Specialized bacteria “fix” nitrogen, converting it to a form that can be
used by organisms. By fixing nitrogen, these bacteria are a critical link between atmospheric nitrogen
and life on Earth.
Website: http://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/soilhealth_nitrogen-cycle
Opening Screen
1. Nitrogen is essential to life. Where in all living things (including humans) is nitrogen found? Click
to answer
Begin the activity, and then hover over “Nitrogen in the Atmosphere.”
2. Nitrogen makes up about what percent of the atmosphere? Click to answer
3. Nitrogen exists in what form in the atmosphere? Click to answer
Read through “Nitrogen Fixation” and “Ammonification.”

4. What is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
Click to answer
Read over both “Nitrifications.”

5. Ammonia can form Click to answer, which can then be converted into Click to answer. Both can
be taken in by Click to answer.
Read over “Denitrification.”

6. Click to answer bacteria can convert Click to answer back into Click to answer , which goes into
the Click to answer.
Read “Ammonification.”
7. Ammonification is when decomposers do what? Click to answer
Finally, read “Assimilation” and hover over the chipmunk.

8. What is the only way in which humans and other animals can obtain nitrogen?
Click to answer

Phosphorus Cycle Introduction
Phosphorus is an important chemical for plants and animals. It is part of DNA, certain fats in cell
membranes, bones, teeth, and the shells of some animals. Phosphorus circulates through water, the
Earth's crust, and living organisms. It is not in the atmosphere and is most likely to enter food chains
following the slow weathering of rock deposits. Some of the released phosphates become dissolved in
soil water, which is then taken up by plant roots. Phosphorus is therefore the main limiting factor for
plant growth in most soils and aquatic ecosystems. Animals obtain phosphorus by eating plants and/or
herbivores. Dead organisms and animal wastes return phosphorus to the soil, to streams, and eventually
to ocean floors as rock deposits.
Website #1: http://www.geography4kids.com/files/cycles_phosphorus.html
Cycling Phosphorus
1. Where does phosphate start (before life forms use it)? Click to answer
Plants Need It
2. How do plants obtain phosphorus? Click to answer
3. How do animals obtain phosphorus? Click to answer
Losing the Element

4. The phosphorus cycle is not a true cycle due to a lot of the phosphorus being lost to the bottom
of the ocean. Identify the different ways that phosphorus ends up at the bottom of the ocean.
Click to answer
Elemental Concern
5. Identify two ways in which phosphorus naturally enters the soil. Click to answer
6. Identify a way in which phosphorus is artificially put into the soil. Click to answer
Website #2: http://enviroliteracy.org/article.php/480.html

Paragraph 1:
7. How is phosphorus important to living things? Click to answer
Paragraph 2:
8. The phosphorus cycle differs from the other cycles in that it does not have a Click to answer.
9. The largest reservoir of phosphorus is Click to answer.
Paragraph 3:
10. Describe the sequence of how phosphorus goes from the soil to a carnivore.
Click to answer
Paragraph 5:
11. Using evidence from the article, explain why phosphorus can be considered a pollutant.
Click to answer

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Name ___________ Section _

Biogeochemical Cycles Webquest

Website #1: http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html (choose auto, or

Adapted from http://www.firelandsschools.org/Downloads/Biogeochemical_Cycles_Webquest1.pdf

Adapted from http://www.firelandsschools.org/Downloads/Biogeochemical_Cycles_Webquest1.pdf

Read through “Nitrogen Fixation” and “Ammonification.”

Read over both “Nitrifications.”

Read over “Denitrification.”

Finally, read “Assimilation” and hover over the chipmunk.

Adapted from http://www.firelandsschools.org/Downloads/Biogeochemical_Cycles_Webquest1.pdf

Losing the Element

Website #2: http://enviroliteracy.org/article.php/480.html

Adapted from http://www.firelandsschools.org/Downloads/Biogeochemical_Cycles_Webquest1.pdf

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