The nitrogen utilized by most plants is derived from 

A. decayed organic matter.
B. nitrogen gas.
C. soil.
D. the atmosphere.

?

It D

But how do you know?

Because i look it up

This is a tricky question. It hinges on the exact meaning of "derived." Yes, there's a lot of nitrogen in the atmosphere, but plants get their nitrogen from the soil.

http://www.tfi.org/introduction-fertilizer/nutrient-science/nitrogen

Thanks Ms.Sue your site helped a lot.

You are welcome, Brooklyn.

To determine the correct answer, we need to understand how plants acquire nitrogen. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plants as it plays a crucial role in their growth and development. However, most plants cannot directly utilize nitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere. Instead, they require nitrogen in the form of other compounds such as nitrates (NO3-) or ammonium (NH4+).

Option A suggests that plants obtain nitrogen from decayed organic matter. This is correct because when organic matter like dead plants or animals decompose, nitrogen-containing compounds are released, which can be absorbed by plants and used for growth.

Option B states that plants derive nitrogen from nitrogen gas (N2) in the atmosphere. While it is true that some specialized plants, known as nitrogen-fixing plants, can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form with the help of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, most plants cannot do so directly.

Option C suggests that plants acquire nitrogen from the soil. This is also accurate as the soil acts as a reservoir for nitrogen, containing various forms of nitrogen compounds that plants can take up through their roots.

Option D claims that plants derive nitrogen from the atmosphere. As mentioned earlier, while some plants can fix atmospheric nitrogen, the majority of plants do not have this ability and must obtain nitrogen from other sources.

Based on the explanations above, the correct answer is:

A. decayed organic matter.