ECOLOGY
CHEMICAL CYCLES
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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It is the only nutrient that is used as fertilizer for crops.
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It is the only cycle that helps synthesize lipids.
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It does not cycle through the atmosphere.
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It is the only element that can be dissolved in water.
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Detailed explanation-1: -Unlike nitrogen, the phosphorus cycle does not have a significant atmospheric component. A chemical distribution of phosphorus between aquatic and particulate components occurs via, e.g., adsorption and precipitation processes.
Detailed explanation-2: -Unlike carbon or nitrogen, however, phosphorus moves only through the lithosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. It is one of the only biogeochemical cycles that does not involve a gaseous stage, meaning that it does not become part of Earth’s atmosphere in any significant way.
Detailed explanation-3: -There are no major gaseous forms of phosphorus, so aside from wind distributing small particles of dust containing phosphorus, only very small amounts of phosphorus move through the atmosphere.
Detailed explanation-4: -The phosphorus cycle differs from the cycles of other biologically important elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur, in that it lacks a significant gaseous component; nearly all phosphorus in the environment resides either in solid or in aqueous forms.
Detailed explanation-5: -The phosphorus cycle differs from other nutrient cycles, because phosphorus has no major atmospheric component to its cycle. Phosphorus is essential for all life on Earth. The amount of phosphorus available for biological uptake is relatively small, which limits productivity in many terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.