Final answer:
In the presence of nitrogenase and ATP, bacteria can convert atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into ammonia. This is a part of the nitrogen cycle, where nitrogen-fixing bacteria play a key role in making nitrogen available to living organisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bacteria can change N₂ into ammonia in the presence of nitrogenase and ATP. This process is part of the nitrogen cycle, which is crucial for converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be used by living organisms.
In the nitrogen cycle, atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by nitrogen-fixing bacteria into ammonia (NH3), which can then be further processed into nitrates and nitrites by other soil bacteria. Ammonia serves as a nitrogen source for plants and also can be oxidized by nitrifying bacteria to provide energy for their metabolic processes.
Some of these bacteria include ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, which convert ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate. These processes are all part of a complex ecosystem that maintains the balance of nitrogen in the environment.