Mains Paper II · 4 Environment & Ecology · 4.2 Biogeochemical cycles

4.2.3 Nitrogen cycle: fixation, nitrification and denitrification

Nitrogen gas makes up most of the air but most organisms cannot use it; microbes, lightning and industry convert it into usable compounds, and other microbes return it to the air.

  • APPSC Group 2 · Mains Paper II
  • Advanced level
  • 7 min read
  • Full course

Key terms

  • nitrogen fixation
  • Rhizobium
  • Azotobacter
  • Frankia
  • cyanobacteria
  • heterocyst
  • Azolla
  • nitrogenase
  • leghaemoglobin
  • nitrification
  • Nitrosomonas
  • Nitrobacter
  • ammonification
  • denitrification
  • Pseudomonas
  • Haber-Bosch

What this note covers

  1. Core factsFoundation
  2. ExplainedStandard
  3. DeeperAdvanced
  4. Mains writingMains writing
  5. Common trapsFoundation
  6. Quick revisionFoundation

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