Living organisms incorporate different forms of nitrogen into their diets depending on the type of organism:
A. Ammonia - Some microorganisms can use ammonia (NH₃) directly as a source of nitrogen. For example, some bacteria and plants can assimilate ammonia through their nitrogen metabolism pathways.
B. Nitrites - Nitrites (NO₂⁻) are typically not used directly by most higher organisms, but certain bacteria can convert nitrites into a more usable form of nitrogen such as ammonia or nitrates.
C. Nitrogen gas - Nitrogen gas (N₂) makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere, but most organisms cannot use nitrogen in this form directly. Nitrogen gas is converted to more biologically available forms through a process called nitrogen fixation, which is carried out by specific bacteria and archaea.
D. Nitrates - Nitrates (NO₃⁻) are a commonly assimilated form of nitrogen for plants. They absorb nitrates from the soil through their roots. Some microorganisms can also utilize nitrates, and through the process of denitrification, they can convert nitrates back to nitrogen gas or other nitrogenous compounds.
For most plants and animals, the preferred form of nitrogen is either ammonia or nitrates, as these are more readily incorporated into organic molecules. Nitrogen is an essential element for living organisms as it is a key component of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, and nucleic acids, which are the building blocks of DNA and RNA.
living organism can incorperate what into their diet? A. ammonia B. nitrites C. nitrogen gas D. nitrates
3 answers
so which one?
Apologies for the confusion. If you are looking for the form of nitrogen that is most commonly incorporated into the diets of most living organisms (particularly plants, which are at the base of the food chain), the answer is:
D. Nitrates
Nitrates are the most common form of nitrogen that plants absorb through their roots and are a key nutrient in plant diets. Animals then obtain their nitrogen by consuming plants or other animals. Ammonia and nitrogen gas are generally not used directly by most plants and animals, while nitrites are typically intermediate products in the nitrogen cycle and are not a primary source of nitrogen for most organisms.
D. Nitrates
Nitrates are the most common form of nitrogen that plants absorb through their roots and are a key nutrient in plant diets. Animals then obtain their nitrogen by consuming plants or other animals. Ammonia and nitrogen gas are generally not used directly by most plants and animals, while nitrites are typically intermediate products in the nitrogen cycle and are not a primary source of nitrogen for most organisms.