Use the diagram to answer the question.
Information
A diagram entitled Atmospheric Nitrogen (Upper N 2) shows an alfalfa plant. The alfalfa has leaves, a stem, and roots with nodules.
Question
A farmer plants alfalfa in a field to improve the soil.
How will the nodules on the alfalfa roots help improve the soil?
Answer options with 4 options
A.
The nodules store water that mixes with nitrates in the soil.
B.
The nodules store nitrogen gas until the plant needs it for photosynthesis.
C.
The nodules release ammonium from the plant metabolism back into the air.
D.
The nodules contain bacteria that convert nitrogen gas into other nitrogen compounds.
D. The nodules contain bacteria that convert nitrogen gas into other nitrogen compounds.
What is the function of a nucleic acid?
Answer options with 4 options
A.
It insulates organisms and stores energy.
B.
It helps cells to catalyze chemical reactions.
C.
It is a source of short-term energy for the cell.
D.
It carries genetic information for building proteins.
D. It carries genetic information for building proteins.
The correct answer is D. The nodules on the alfalfa roots contain bacteria that convert nitrogen gas into other nitrogen compounds. This process is called nitrogen fixation, and it helps improve the soil by making nitrogen available to the plants.
To answer the question, we need to analyze the information provided in the diagram and understand the role of the nodules on the alfalfa roots.
The diagram shows that the alfalfa plant has nodules on its roots. These nodules are important because they contain bacteria that have a symbiotic relationship with the alfalfa plant. Specifically, these bacteria are capable of converting nitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere into other nitrogen compounds that can be used by plants. This process is known as nitrogen fixation.
With this understanding, we can now evaluate the answer options:
A. The nodules storing water that mixes with nitrates in the soil is not supported by the information provided in the diagram. The diagram does not indicate any direct relationship between the nodules and water storage.
B. The nodules storing nitrogen gas until the plant needs it for photosynthesis is not accurate according to the information provided. The nodules do store nitrogen, but this is in the form of nitrogen compounds produced through nitrogen fixation, rather than nitrogen gas itself.
C. The nodules releasing ammonium from the plant metabolism back into the air is not consistent with the role of nodules. The nodules are responsible for converting nitrogen gas from the air into nitrogen compounds, not releasing it back into the air.
D. The nodules containing bacteria that convert nitrogen gas into other nitrogen compounds is the correct answer based on the information provided in the diagram. The presence of nodules and the bacteria they contain allows the alfalfa plant to fix atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, ultimately improving the soil by enriching it with nitrogen compounds.
Therefore, the correct answer is D. The nodules contain bacteria that convert nitrogen gas into other nitrogen compounds.