Question

On land, nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into ammonia. Other kinds of bacteria then convert the ammonia into nitrates that plants can use. How does this part of the nitrogen cycle on land compare to the process that occurs in the ocean?

A. Plants convert nitrogen into ammonia, which animals convert to nitrates.
B. Plankton, not bacteria, convert nitrogen into ammonia.
C. Plants convert nitrogen directly into nitrates.
D. Plankton, not bacteria, convert ammonia into nitrates.

Answer 1

Answer:During nitrification, ammonia (NH3) is oxidized and converted to nitrite and then to nitrate. This process is carried out by chemosynthetic bacteria (also known as nitrifying bacteria). That is, the energy released during nitrification is used to synthesize organic matter.

2. Denitrification occurs when bacteria in the soil, called denitrifying bacteria, use nitrates and convert them to nitrogen gas. Denitrification ensures that nitrogen is returned to the atmosphere.

3. Atmospheric nitrogen is fixed primarily with the help of bacteria. These bacteria act by forming nodules in the cortical areas of the roots of these plants, where they remove atmospheric nitrogen and convert it to the ammonia (NH3) used by the plants.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Answer: The correct answer is D. Plankton, not bacteria, convert ammonia into nitrates.

Step-by-step explanation: Confirmed correct.