Question

Which of the following is not true regarding biogeochemical cycles?

1) Most nitrogen cycles between air and living organisms.
2) The carbon cycle can influence global climate.
3) Phosphorus cycles among organisms, rocks, and oceans.
4) The way in which a specific element cycles through living and non-living things.
5) All of the above are true.

Answer 1

All of the statements provided about biogeochemical cycles are true, including the cycling of nitrogen between air and living organisms, the carbon cycle's influence on global climate, the cycling of phosphorus among organisms, rocks, and oceans, and the definition of biogeochemical cycles themselves.

Step-by-step explanation:

The answer to the student's question is that all of the statements listed about biogeochemical cycles are true. Here's a detailed explanation of why each statement is accurate:

1. Most nitrogen does indeed cycle between air and living organisms, primarily through processes such as nitrogen fixation, nitrification, and denitrification carried out by various microorganisms.
2. The carbon cycle can influence the global climate, especially through the greenhouse effect where gases like carbon dioxide trap heat in the atmosphere.
3. Phosphorus cycles among organisms, rocks, and oceans, though unlike other cycles, it does not have a significant atmospheric component and is primarily cycled through the lithosphere and living organisms.
4. The phrase 'The way in which a specific element cycles through living and non-living things' is the very definition of a biogeochemical cycle, involving both biotic and abiotic components.

Therefore, the correct statement is indeed number 5: All of the above are true.