Question

Nitrogen returns to the atmosphere through a process called

denitrification
nitrification
nitrogen cycle
nitrogen fixation

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT-4 Turbo]

Nitrogen returns to the atmosphere through a process called denitrification.

Denitrification is a part of the nitrogen cycle, where certain types of bacteria convert nitrates (NO3^−) into nitrogen gas (N2), releasing it back into the atmosphere. This process contrasts with nitrogen fixation, where nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia (NH3) which can then be taken up by plants. Nitrification is another process in the nitrogen cycle, which involves the conversion of ammonia into nitrites (NO2^−) and then into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria.