biology topics

Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen:
Symbol: N
Atomic number: 7
Atomic weight: 14.0067
Gas: Colourless, odourless
Liquid: Colourless, odourless
Presence in Atmosphere:
A gas which is present in 79 % in atmosphere.
Nitrogen:
• Nitrogen is an important component of many biomolecules,
like proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).
• It is a vital component of fertilizers.
• Atmosphere is the reservoir of free gaseous nitrogen.
• Living organisms cannot pick up this gaseous nitrogen
directly from atmosphere (except for nitrogen fixing
bacteria).
• It has to be converted into nitrates to be utilised by plants.
Nitrogen Cycle:
• The cycling of nitrogen between living organisms & their

environment.
• A biochemical process in which nitrogen is converted into

compounds from atmosphere to soil to oganism & back to
the atmosphere.
Importance of Nitrogen Cycle:
• As atmospheric nitrogen is not obtained by living things ,

So it can be converted into such form that can be used by
plants & animals.
Steps in Nitrogen Cycle:
Nitrogen cycling involves several stages:
1) Formation of Nitrates
a) Nitrogen Fixation
b) Ammonification
c) Nitrification
2) Assimilation
3) Denitrification
a) Nitrogen Fixation:
Conversion of nitrogen gas into nitrates is called
nitrogen fixation.
OR
A process in which nitrogen gets fix by combining with
oxygen or hydrogen.
Ways of Nitrogen Fixation:
It occurs in the following ways.
i) Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation
ii) Industraial Nitrogn Fixation
iii) Biological Nitrogen Fixation
i) Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation: 5 to 8 %
• Thunderstorms and lightning break atmospheric gaseous
nitrogen which combies with oxygen to form oxides of
nitrogen (N2O).
• These oxides dissolve in water and form nitrous acid and
nitric acid (HNO3).
• The acid in turn combine with other salts to produce
nitrates (NO3).
• Nitrates are carried to ground along with rain.
• Plants use nitrates to grow.
• It is called as atmospheric nitrogen fixation.
Atmospheric Nitrogen Fixation
nitrogen + oxygen
oxides of nitrogen(N2O)
+ water
nitric acid(HNO3).
+ salts
nitrates(NO3).
Soil
Plants
ii) Industrial Nitrogen Fixation:
• In industrial nitrogen fixation, hydrogen is combined with

atmospheric nitrogen by the help of catalysts & under
high pressure and temperature(600 oC). It produces
ammonia (NH3).
• Ammonia is further converted into ammonium nitrate
(NH4NO3) which can be used as fertilizer.
• Nitrogen fixation is also done in industries.
Industrial Nitrogen Fixation
nitrogen + hydrogen
Ammonia(NH3)
Ammonium nitrate(NH4NO3). a fertilizer
Soil
Plants
iii) Biological Nitrogen Fixation:
• Some bacteria have the ability to transform gaseous

nitrogen into nitrates. It is called biological nitrogen
fixation.
Types of Bacteria:
a) Symbiotic bacteria b) Free living bacteria
a) Symbiotic bacteria: (Fixes 70 % N2)
These bacteria live in the root nodules of plants
& convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates & plants obtain
them. In return, plants give food to bacteria.
e.g.
bacteria living in roots of leguminous plants.
b) Free living bacteria: (Fixes 30 % N2)

These bacteria live freely in soil & convert
atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates & plants obtain them.
Symbiotic bacteria Free living bacteria
Atmospheric nitrogen Atmospheric nitrogen
nitrates nitrates
Plants Soil
Plants
“Cycle”
Nitrogen Fixed
Plants
Aninmals
Dead Organisms
b) Ammonification:
• Ammonification is the breakdown of the proteins of dead

organisms and nitrogenous wastes (urea, uric acid etc.) to
ammonia (NH3).
Agents of Ammonification:
ammonifying bacteria.
“Ammonification”
Dead Organisms
Proteins(urea, uric acid)
ammonia
c) Nitrification:
• After the formation of ammonia, it is converted into nitrites

and nitrates. It is called nitrification.
Agents of Nitrification:
nitrifying bacteria.
Process of Nitrification:
• First, ammonia (NH3) is converted into nitrites (NO2) by

bacteria.
e.g.
Nitrosomonas
• The nitrites are then converted into nitrates (NO3) by other
bacteria.
e.g.
Nitrobacter
2) Assimilation:
The nitrates are absorbed by plants and are

utilized for making proteins etc. Animals take nitrogenous
compounds from plants. The utilization of nitrates by
organisms is called assimilation.
3) Denitrification:
It is a biological process in which nitrates and

nitrites are reduced to nitrogen gas. By this process, nitrogen
is returned to atmosphere.
Agents of Denitrification:
Denitrifying bacteria

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Nitrogen Cycle

• The cycling of nitrogen between living organisms & their

• A biochemical process in which nitrogen is converted into

• As atmospheric nitrogen is not obtained by living things ,

• In industrial nitrogen fixation, hydrogen is combined with

Ammonium nitrate(NH4NO3). a fertilizer

• Some bacteria have the ability to transform gaseous

b) Free living bacteria: (Fixes 30 % N2)

Atmospheric nitrogen Atmospheric nitrogen

• Ammonification is the breakdown of the proteins of dead

Proteins(urea, uric acid)

• After the formation of ammonia, it is converted into nitrites

• First, ammonia (NH3) is converted into nitrites (NO2) by

The nitrates are absorbed by plants and are

It is a biological process in which nitrates and

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