Question

What is the fixation of nitrogen? How does the fixed nitrogen get back to the atmosphere?

Answer 1

Nitrogen fixation-

• Nitrogen fixation is a biological process in which the nitrogen gas is converted into a usable form for plants and other microbes.
• During this process, nitrogen gas present in the atmosphere is converted into ammonia and other related nitrogenous compounds.

Fixed nitrogen gets back into the atmosphere by denitrification.

Denitrification-

• The process of converting or reducing the nitrates back into inert nitrogen gas is known as denitrification.
• The process is carried out by bacterial species such as Clostridium and Pseudomonas, during the absence of oxygen