Ontario Grade 9 Science Class Practice Exam

What is the nitrogen cycle?

1. The process of converting nitrogen into noble gases

2. The series of processes by which nitrogen is removed from the environment

3. The series of processes in which nitrogen compounds are moved through the biotic and abiotic environment

4. The cyclic movement of neutrons in the environment

The correct answer is: The series of processes in which nitrogen compounds are moved through the biotic and abiotic environment

The nitrogen cycle refers to the process of how nitrogen compounds are moved and transformed through the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of the environment. Option A is incorrect because noble gases are already inert and do not undergo transformations. Option B is incorrect because nitrogen is not removed from the environment, but rather cycled through it. Option D is incorrect because neutrons are subatomic particles and are not involved in the nitrogen cycle. Only option C accurately describes the series of processes involved in the nitrogen cycle.