AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Answer and Explanation: There are both biotic and abiotic factors that can fix nitrogen. The abiotic, or non-living, factor is lightning.

Detailed explanation-2: -There are three processes that can fix nitrogen: atmospheric, Haber Process and biological. Atmospheric fixation occurs when the high temperature of lightning splits the nitrogen gas so it bonds with oxygen and moisture in the air to form nitrates that fall to the earth with rain.

Detailed explanation-3: -Lightning can also fix nitrogen. The high temperature of a lightning bolt can break the bonds of atmospheric nitrogen molecules. Free nitrogen atoms in the air bond with oxygen in the air to create nitrogen oxides, which dissolve in moisture to form nitrates that are carried to Earth’s surface by precipitation.

Detailed explanation-4: -A very small amount of nitrogen is fixed via lightning interacting with the air. Once nitrogen is fixed, other types of bacteria convert ammonia to nitrate (NO3‑) and nitrite (NO2–), which can then be used by other bacteria and plants.

Detailed explanation-5: -During lightning, the atmospheric nitrogen reacts with oxygen present in the atmosphere to form Nitric acid which comes down to the earth with rainwater and reacts with water to form nitrates that are absorbed by plants.