What is a natural process that converts non reactive nitrogen to reactive nitrogen which is useable by living things and how is nitrogen fixed into a usable source?
The natural way by which non reactive nitrogen is converted to reactive nitrogen is through lightning.When there is lightning (natural process) strike,it breaks the bond holding the air borne nitrogen molecules,hence, the free nitrogen atoms will combine with oxygen molecules to form nitrates which are carried down by rainfall to the ground.The nitrates are absorbed by the plants for their growth.This is a natural way of fixing nitrogen in to the soil
Nitrogen fixation is a process whereby bacteria in the soil convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2 gas) into a form that plants can use. The reason this process is so important is that animals and plants cannot use atmospheric nitrogen directly. Nitrogen fixation, any natural or industrial process that causes free nitrogen (N2), which is a relatively inert gas plentiful in air, to combine chemically with other elements to form more-reactive nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. Nitrogen is converted from atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into usable forms, such as NO2-, in a process known as fixation. The majority of nitrogen is fixed by bacteria, most of which are symbiotic with plants. In nitrogen fixation, bacteria convert into ammonia, a form of nitrogen usable by plants. When animals eat the plants, they acquire usable nitrogen compounds. Nitrogen is a common limiting nutrient in nature, and agriculture.Nitrogen is converted from atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into usable forms, such as NO2-, in a process known as fixation. The majority of nitrogen is fixed by bacteria, most of which are symbiotic with plants. Recently fixed ammonia is then converted to biologically useful forms by specialized bacteria. Nitrogen is fixed, or combined, in nature as nitric oxide by lightning and ultraviolet rays, but more significant amounts of nitrogen are fixed as ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates by soil microorganisms. More than 90 percent of all nitrogen fixation is affected by them. Nitrogen fixation is the process by which nitrogen gas from the atmosphere is converted into different compounds that can be used by plants and animals. There are three major ways in which this happens: first, by lightning; second, by industrial methods; finally, by bacteria living in the soil. Atmospheric di-nitrogen (N2) makes up 80 per cent of our atmosphere. However, over the past 100 years, humans have converted N2 into many reactive nitrogen (Nr) forms, through fertilizer and munitions manufacturing and burning of fossil fuels. The largest reservoir of nitrogen is found in the atmosphere, mostly as nitrogen gas (N2). Nitrogen gas makes up 78% of the air we breathe. Most nitrogen enters ecosystems via certain kinds of bacteria in soil and plant roots that convert nitrogen gas into ammonia (NH3).
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