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Since the air around you is about 78% nitrogen gas, you might think it would be easy for organisms to retrieve nitrogen easily. However, most organisms cannot use nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas is called "free" nitrogen because it's not combined with other atoms. Most organisms can use nitrogen only when it has been combined with other elements to form nitrogen-containing compounds. So, is that the answer you were looking for (possibly for homework)?
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What is the large reservoir of nitrogen that is unusable by most organisms?
The large reservoir of nitrogen that is unusable by most organisms is atmospheric nitrogen (N2). This form of nitrogen is inert and cannot be directly utilized by plants and animals. It needs to be converted into a usable form through the process of nitrogen fixation before it can be incorporated into biological molecules.
Can nitrogen be directly used by living things?
No, nitrogen gas cannot be directly used by most living organisms. Instead, nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil or in plant roots convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form (ammonia or nitrates) that can be used by plants to make proteins. Other organisms then obtain nitrogen by consuming these plants.
Do most organisms take in nitrogen from the air or water and use it to carry out their process life?
Most organisms take in nitrogen from the soil in the form of nitrates and ammonia, which are produced by nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These bacteria convert nitrogen gas from the air into usable forms. Some aquatic organisms can also directly uptake nitrogen from water in the form of nitrate, nitrite, or ammonia.
What element are most organisms unable to make rom the atmosphere?
Most organisms are unable to make nitrogen directly from the atmosphere. Instead, they rely on nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be used by plants and other organisms for essential functions like protein synthesis.
What gas cannot be used directly your most organisms?
Nitrogen
What gas cannot be used directly from the air by most organisms?
Nitrogen gas cannot be used directly by most organisms because it is a very stable molecule (N2) that is difficult to break apart biologically. Some organisms, such as nitrogen-fixing bacteria, have special enzymes that allow them to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that can be used by plants and other organisms.
What elements are most organisms unable to take from the atmosphere?
nitrogen
Do most organisms use nitrogen in the form of nitrogen gas?
No. They can not use nitrogen gas because the triple bonds of nitrogen can only be broken down for use in living things, plants, by the symbiotic bacteria in the root nodes. Then in other forms nitrogen is taken up into the plant and from there to other trophic levels.
Why is free nitrogen a problem for organisms?
Free nitrogen is a problem for organisms because most organisms cannot directly use nitrogen gas (N2) in the atmosphere. Instead, they require nitrogen in a usable form like nitrate or ammonium to build essential molecules like proteins and nucleic acids. Some specialized organisms, like nitrogen-fixing bacteria, can convert free nitrogen into a usable form through a process called nitrogen fixation.
Why is it difficult to integrate nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into the nitrogen cycle of the biosphere?
Nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is in a very stable form (N2) and requires a large amount of energy to be converted into a usable form by living organisms. This process, called nitrogen fixation, is carried out mainly by specialized bacteria. It is energetically demanding and cannot be done by most organisms, making the integration of atmospheric nitrogen into the biosphere challenging.
In what form most organisms obtain nitrogen?
Most organisms obtain nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO3-) or ammonium (NH4+). These forms of nitrogen are usually present in the soil and can be taken up by plants. Animals then obtain nitrogen by consuming plants or other animals.
Why must living organisms rely on nitrogen fixation for their source of nitrogen?
Biology relies on chemistry. The nitrogen must be able to attach to the receptor molecule to be used. Nitrogen fixation renders nitrogen into a less s table form so that it can break bonds and attach to other molecules.
