Nitrogen fixation
Storyboard Text
- Today my teacher was telling us about nitrogen fixation. It is so silly, why can't plants just take in nitrogen directly?
- I still don't understand
- woof woof
- That is because nitrogen has to be converted into simpler compounds to be used by plants
- No, not at all
- hmm, what about this. You eat chocolate made of cocoa beans. What if someone gives you only cocoa beans. Would you be able to eat it?
- Did i hear chocolate? Where is it?
- oh!
- Similarly, N2 gas must first be converted to more a chemically available form such as ammonium, nitrate , or organic nitrogen
- i wish I treats grew on plants so i could eat whenever i want
- No, this happens through bacteria or lightning
- How does this happen? Do people have to interfere?
- bark woof woof
- Each bolt of lightning carries electrical energy that is powerful enough to break the strong bonds of the nitrogen molecule in the atmosphere. Once split, the nitrogen atoms quickly bond to oxygen in the atmosphere, forming nitrogen dioxide.Along with the lightning in the cloud are cloud droplets and raindrops. Nitrogen dioxide dissolves in water, creating nitric acid, which forms nitrates. The nitrates fall to the ground in raindrops and seep into the soil in a form that can be absorbed by plants.
- Legumes (peas, vetches, clovers, beans and others) grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil-dwelling bacteria. The bacteria take gaseous nitrogen from the air in the soil and feed this nitrogen to the legumes; in exchange the plant provides carbohydrates to the bacteria.
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