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13. Describe how each of the 4 cycles of matter are important to living things.

User Kilokahn
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Final answer:

The water cycle ensures a constant supply of water for living organisms. The carbon cycle allows carbon to be cycled between living organisms and the environment. The nitrogen and phosphorus cycles are crucial for the availability of essential elements for living organisms.


Step-by-step explanation:

The four cycles of matter, namely the water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and phosphorus cycle, are all important to living things.

In the water cycle, water is constantly moving through the environment, being evaporated, condensed, and precipitated. This cycle ensures that living organisms have a constant supply of water, which is essential for their survival.

The carbon cycle is important because it allows carbon, a key element in organic compounds, to be cycled between living organisms and the environment. Through processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, carbon moves between the atmosphere, plants, animals, and decomposers.

The nitrogen cycle is crucial for the availability of nitrogen, which is an essential element for living organisms. Nitrogen is converted by bacteria into compounds that plants can use, and then it is passed through the food chain as animals consume plants. Decomposers break down organic matter, releasing nitrogen back into the environment.

The phosphorus cycle is responsible for the movement of phosphorous, another essential element, through the environment. Phosphorus is often found in rocks and minerals, and weathering processes release it into the soil. Plants take up phosphorus from the soil, animals obtain it by consuming plants or other animals, and decomposers release it back into the environment.


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