(no subject)
Elements in the Rising
Nitrogen - Chris Webb
Human - Margaret Rawls
Cloud - Sean B ?
Bacteria - Maria Collins
Producer - Robert Atkins
Consumer - John Stevens
Narrator - Katrina Brown
Narrator - Hi, and welcome to Elements in the Rising, I’m your host, Katrina Brown. Today we have a very special guest joining us. You’ve seen them all over the news, not to mention almost everywhere in the atmosphere! And here he is, Nitrogen! Give us a little background information, Nitrogen.
Nitrogen - Yes, I am in fact Nitrogen, a chemical element. Plants and animals could not grow without me! I make up about 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere. That’s more than ¾! So, I am definitely important. Today I will be talking about the different paths that I have chosen to become the famous element I am today, and everything that has helped get me here.
Narrator - That’s Nitrogen for you. So, Nitrogen, you mentioned different paths that you had to choose. Tell me about that. What was the first path that you chose to take?
Nitrogen - Before starting, I’d like to call a few special guests up to the stage. Human, Cloud, Consumer, Producer, and Decomposer please come to the stage. You may stand right over there until I need you. Alright, I couldn’t have made it through the complete Nitrogen Cycle without each and everyone of these guys over here. So, Human’s activity is what originally added me to the atmosphere in the first place. Human, I’d like to give to a chance to say a few words to introduce yourself and talk about the great things you did for me. Please come here.
Human - Hi, I am Human. My actions affect Nitrogen here greatly! On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I work on making and use Nitrogen fertilizers. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I drive to work specifically to burn fossil fuels in automobiles. On Saturdays and Sundays, I burn fossil fuels in power generation plants and industries. Because of my actions and activities, the rate of Nitrogen getting put into the atmosphere has almost doubled and is continuing to increase everyday. That is all, thanks.
Nitrogen - No, Human, thank YOU! So to sum up what Human said, she releases me, as Nitrogen, into the atmosphere. The next big role in the cycle is played by my...acquaintance…Cloud. Will you please join me over here, Cloud?
Cloud - I don’t really want to, but I guess I will anyway. Nitrogen is definitely NOT my best friend. Have you seen all those lightning strikes lately? Yes, all because of me, or actually, all because of Nitrogen. Whenever he makes me mad, I send out a lightning strike that crushes his molecules. If he’s lucky enough, he will find an oxygen molecule to pair up with. They combine in the air, forming Nitrogen Oxides. When some of his molecules are not crushed, I become very sad, and start to cry big rain drops. The nitrogen oxide dissolves in rain, forming nitrates, which are carried down to the Earth.
Nitrogen - Thanks a lot, Cloud, for all of your kind words. Anyway, under all the pressure that Cloud has put on me, I can combine with other elements to form ammonia. Once I reach the Earth, I am greeted by Bacteria. Alright, Bacteria, over here!
Bacteria - I live in the soil, and sometimes on plants, such as legumes. So, I convert this Ammonia that used to be Nitrogen into Nitrates and Nitrites. I don’t know Nitrogen that much, so I don’t play a very big role in his life.
Nitrogen - Bacteria, you’re still very important. Alright, the next one I would like you all to meet is Producer. Producer, please join me right here.
Narrator - Now, from what I hear in the news and all, you two have a little relationship going on - a symbiotic relationship, that is.
Producer - A symbiotic relationship? Yes, you are absolutely right. It is a very confusing relationship, so I won’t get into details, but I will say that we are both very happy with this symbiotic relationship. I can use Nitrogen-now Nitrates and Nitrites-to make proteins.
Nitrogen - Thank you, Producer. Next in my cycle is the Consumer.
Consumer - Producers are my favorite food! Oh, my name is Consumer by the way. Like I said, I eat Producers. I use the Nitrogen passed from the Producer to me to make my own proteins. Then, I die. Usually some other consumer eats me and then they become the Consumer that I just told you about myself being. But right now, let’s just say I die of, maybe, old age. The decomposers start to…
Nitrogen - Consumer, this is my story to tell, and I would rather you not talk about anything but yourself, please. You may have a seat now. Decomposer, please come back up here. Tell everyone your job.
Bacteria - No big deal, really. I just return Nitrogen to the soil as Ammonia. Depending on if Nitrogen chose my pathway, I turn Nitrates into Nitrogen through a process called denitrification, but I’ll let Nitrogen explain that one to you.
Nitrogen - Once again, thank you, Bacteria! Denitrification is a very confusing process. It goes something like this: denitrification reduces nitrates to nitrogen gas, which replenishes the atmosphere.
Narrator - That was an excellent explanation. I was reading in the Daily Element earlier this morning and almost all the articles were on you and your life and its journeys. I want to briefly run through just one more of your paths to make sure they are accurate. Correct me if I’m wrong.
Nitrogen - Alright, I can do that.
Narrator - Ok, first human activity puts you in the atmosphere, am I right?
Nitrogen - Yeah.
Human - Absolutely right.
Narrator - Then, well, actually, all the Daily Element said was “Synthetic fertilizer manufacture” - could you tell me a little about this?
Nitrogen - I’m going to let Human explain this one.
Human - Ok, well, by synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, the Element is referring to a commercial product, with almost all of the nitrogen fixed by different processes, such as the Haber-Bosch process.
Narrator - Thank you, good explanation. Then, you are eaten by producers?
Nitrogen - Correct.
Producer - I agree.
Narrator - And then the Consumer eats the Producer, with you still inside it?
Nitrogen - Unfortunately.
Consumer - Yes, and what a very yummy snack it is.
Narrator - Alright, and then the consumer dies.
Nitrogen - Completely right.
Narrator - So, next the Decomposer/Bacteria breaks the consumer down and turns the nitrogen gas into ammonia in a process known as nitrogen fixation. Am I right?
Nitrogen - Yeah.
Bacteria - You are definitely right.
Narrator - So, once you are available, producer takes you and makes proteins.
Nitrogen - Yes.
Producer - I agree.
Narrator - Consumers eat the producers, the consumer dies, the decomposer breaks it down.
Nitrogen - Yes, yes, and yes.
Narrator - And then last but not least, the process of denitrification happens and the cycle starts all over again.
Nitrogen - Right.
Narrator - So, does everyone agree?
Everyone - (Nod head)