Meaning & use
nitrogen cycle
Last updated
Meaning
nounsingulartechnicalbiology
The natural process by which nitrogen moves between the air, soil, water, and living things.
Grammar: Usually used with 'the': the nitrogen cycle. It is not used in the plural in this sense.
Patterns
- the nitrogen cycle
- in the nitrogen cycle
Bacteria play a key role in the nitrogen cycle.
Farmers learn about the nitrogen cycle to manage soil health.
The nitrogen cycle explains how nitrogen is reused in nature.
Common combinations
- the nitrogen cycle
- The nitrogen cycle is essential for plant growth.
- part of the nitrogen cycle
- Decomposition is part of the nitrogen cycle.
- study the nitrogen cycle
- Students study the nitrogen cycle in biology class.
Word family
- nitrogen noun
- A chemical element that is a gas and makes up most of the air.
- nitrogenous adjective
- Containing nitrogen, as in nitrogenous waste.
Commonly confused: nitrogen cycle or carbon cycle?
nitrogen cycle vs carbon cycle
The carbon cycle deals with carbon moving through nature; the nitrogen cycle deals with nitrogen.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'nitrogen cycle' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Nitrogen cycle' is a scientific process, not a physical object or a bicycle. It is used with 'the' and is not countable.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nitrogen cycle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.