Explain how nitrogen can make up to 80% of the atmosphere and still limit plant growth.?

Question

Explain how nitrogen can make up to 80% of the atmosphere and still limit plant growth.

Answer 1

Most plants can't extract nitrogen from the air, and so are dependent on nitrogen compounds in the soil. Most plants in the legume family and a few trees and shrubs have symbiotic bacteria that enable them to get the nitrogen they need from the air, and put additional nitrogen, in the form of nitrates and ammonium compounds, into the soil.

Answer 2

Nitrogen in the atmosphere is N2 molecules. Two nitrogen atoms tightly bound together. N2 is pretty inert. It doesn't want to react with anything and hardly ever does. The nitrogen plants need for essental stuff like DNA molecules can be picked up from the soil as nitrates and ammonia-like compounds. The nitrogen atoms in those are not so tightly bonded to other atoms and the chemical reactions in plant cells are able to make new nitrogen-containing structures such as DNA.

Answer 3

Nitrogen is the air is a gas. Plants can ONLY use nitrogen in the solid form. That is when it is in matter as a solid.

Answer 4

Nitrogen does not limit plant growth. Please explain what you mean.