When the nitrogen is cycled from the atmosphere to the ground to the bacteria to the plant to the cow. Ammonia again meet the nitrifying bacteria and what two things can happen?
When ammonia is produced by bacteria in the ground, it can undergo further transformations in a process known as nitrification. This process involves the conversion of ammonia (NH3) into nitrite (NO2-) by nitrifying bacteria, followed by the conversion of nitrite into nitrate (NO3-) by another group of nitrifying bacteria.
To answer your question, when ammonia meets nitrifying bacteria, two things can happen:
1. Ammonia is converted into nitrite (NO2-): Nitrifying bacteria, such as Nitrosomonas, oxidize ammonia by utilizing it as an energy source, producing nitrite as a byproduct. The reaction can be represented as follows:
NH3 + O2 → NO2- + 3H+ + 2e-
2. Nitrite is further converted into nitrate (NO3-): Another group of nitrifying bacteria, such as Nitrobacter, oxidize nitrite to form nitrate. The reaction can be represented as follows:
NO2- + O2 → NO3- + 2H+ + 2e-
Both of these reactions are essential steps in the nitrogen cycle that convert ammonia, a toxic compound for most plants, into forms that plants can readily absorb and utilize for their growth. The resulting nitrate can be taken up by plant roots and used as a nutrient source.
It's worth noting that the nitrification process requires oxygen, as it is an aerobic process. So, in an environment with adequate oxygen supply, ammonia can be converted to nitrite and subsequently to nitrate by nitrifying bacteria.