Unit 02 Assignment 01

Research Log Entry

• Topic string – Atmospheric Gases
  
  Nitrogen gas makes up about 78% of the volume of the Earth’s atmosphere – making it the most abundant atmospheric gas.
  
  
• Broadest Topic – Nitrogen
  
  However, most plants & animals can not use nitrogen directly from the air. This nitrogen has to be converted into “usable” nitrogen compounds in order for it to be used by plants and animals.
  
  
• Next Broad Topic – Usable Nitrogen Compounds
  
  The process nitrogen must undergo in order to become usable by plants and/or an animal is called the nitrogen fixation process.
  
  
• Narrower Topic – 3-Step Nitrogen Fixation Process
  
  During this 3-step process, nitrogen is combined with hydrogen to create ammonia (NH3) or ammonium (NH). Then, a nitrite-forming bacterium combines this ammonia (or ammonium) with Oxygen to create Nitrite (NO). Next, a nitrate-forming bacterium adds Oxygen to the nitrite, forming Nitrate (NO3), which is absorbable by plants. These plants absorb the Nitrates, and break them down into Ammonium.
  
  
• Even Narrower Topic – The breakdown of Nitrates into Ammonium for use in building Amino Acids.

Think of two questions that you could ask about your topic

1. How do plants break down Nitrates in order to form Ammonium?
2. What are Amino Acids composed of?