Can someone please explain the nitrogen cycle to me we did it in class but I didn't get it so I went over the notes but I still don't get it.

Question

Convert · Answer

What I get so far is that Nitrogen gas gets like sucked in and turned into ammonia in the soil then gets turned into nitrite (no2-) and then into nitrate (no3-) and some of that gets turned back into nitrogen gas while others goes into the plant as nitrite again. But I don't get like denitrification and the difference between oxidation and reduction and how to tell if adding ammonia or another element to something subtracts or reduces its oxygen amount.

Extrinix · Answer

Well, to start off simple, oxidation removes an electron vs that of reduction which increases in electron count.

Adding ammonia would only increase the rate off the Nitrogen Cycle, as the plant requires ammonia for things such as photosynthesis and growth.

That being said, it's oxygen production is from adding more Carbon Dioxide around it, which is what would increase the amount of Oxygen it produces.

Vice versa, more Oxygen around the plant would decrease it's production.

Convert · Answer

So more oxygen decreases the speed of the nitrogen cycle and with ammonia its the opposite?

Convert · Answer

But to get more oxygen you add more CO2?

Extrinix · Answer

Not necessarily, Oxygen won't decrease the speed of the Nitrogen Cycle, it only decreases the speed of photosynthesis.

Extrinix · Answer

@convert wrote:

But to get more oxygen you add more CO2?

That is understood, yes, as you gain more $CO_2$, it would increase it's production of Oxygen.

Convert · Answer

alright so oxygen decreases the speed of photosynthesis but the rest of the steps stay the same?

Convert · Answer

Yeah, because photosynthesis converts co2 to oxygen I think

Extrinix · Answer

@convert wrote:

Yeah, because photosynthesis converts co2 to oxygen I think

Exactly

Extrinix · Answer

@convert wrote:

alright so oxygen decreases the speed of photosynthesis but the rest of the steps stay the same?

Unless you change the variable of Nitrogen, which would then be what effects the cycle.

Convert · Answer

Also another question, what does an increase of ammonia do to the nitrogen cycle? Like human intervention with urine and feces which add more ammonia?

Convert · Answer

@extrinix wrote:

@convert wrote:

alright so oxygen decreases the speed of photosynthesis but the rest of the steps stay the same?

Unless you change the variable of Nitrogen, which would then be what effects the cycle.

Ah ok, got that

Extrinix · Answer

Convert wrote:

Also another question, what does an increase of ammonia do to the nitrogen cycle? Like human intervention with urine and feces which add more ammonia?

That would increase the amount of production tht occurs, as Decomposers would take that of urine and feces and reConvert them in the Nitrogen Cycle

Convert · Answer

alright so basically it adds to the nitrogen cycle? like increases the productivity?

Extrinix · Answer

Convert wrote:

alright so basically it adds to the nitrogen cycle? like increases the productivity?

Exactly, you're on point.

Convert · Answer

alright got it, I get the human waste part but what about artificial productivity like fertilizers?

Extrinix · Answer

Convert wrote:

alright got it, I get the human waste part but what about artificial productivity like fertilizers?

That's on a whole different subject matter, but I would say pretty much the same way fecal matter and waste works.

Convert · Answer

Alright okay, thank you. One more question and I'm done lol. What happens when ammonia ends up in rivers because of fertilizers which contain ammonia? Like what does an increase of ammonia do to the water

Extrinix · Answer

@convert wrote:

Alright okay, thank you. One more question and I'm done lol. What happens when ammonia ends up in rivers because of fertilizers which contain ammonia? Like what does an increase of ammonia do to the water

Well, given enough ammonia ends up in the river, it can cause major issues for the organisms in the enviroment.

Convert · Answer

What kind of issues? Like less oxygen more CO2? Pollution?

Extrinix · Answer

environment*

@convert wrote:

What kind of issues? Like less oxygen more CO2? Pollution?

The organisms can't get rid of the toxicant efficiently, which leads to it's buildup in the organisms tissue and in it's blood, which can severely harm the creature.

Convert · Answer

Ohh so when the fish or other animals die the bacteria can produce even more nitrates

Extrinix · Answer

Assuming that the Ammonia is present in the water, it wouldn't produce more, no.

Convert · Answer

So it just kills organisms and intoxicates the water?

Extrinix · Answer

Convert wrote:

So it just kills organisms and intoxicates the water?

Until it can be cleared out of the water by constantly changing rain cycles, yes.

Convert · Answer

Ah alright so it can be cleared out. Thank you for your help! I appreciate it :)

Extrinix · Answer

Convert wrote:

Ah alright so it can be cleared out. Thank you for your help! I appreciate it :)

No problem!