The
Phosphorus
Cycle
By: Daleea Hale, Damiano Gallina, Kobe
Velez, Lydia Wildes, and Morgan Davis
About Phosphorus
Who discovered it?
Hennig Brand discovered phosphorus in 1669, in Hamburg,
Germany, preparing it from urine
He called the substance he discovered ‘cold fire’ because it was luminous
What are it’s uses?
The largest use of phosphorus compounds is for fertilizers
It’s a vital nutrient for plant and algae growth
About Phosphorus
Other forms of phosphorus
White phosphorus is used in flare devices and incendiary devices
Red phosphorus is in the material on the side of matchboxes used to strike the matches on
Phosphorus Cycle
Key steps of the cycle:
1.
2.
Due to rain and weathering over time, phosphate ions and other minerals are released by rocks. The inorganic phosphate is then spread to soil and water.
Plants absorb the organic phosphate from the soil, then the plants might be eaten by an animal. “Once in the plant or animal, the phosphate is incorporated into organic molecules such as DNA.” Then when the plant or animal dies and decays, the now organic phosphate is sent back into the soil.
3.
4.
Within the soil the process of mineralisation takes place.
Mineralisation is when bacteria breaks down organic matter to inorganic forms of phosphorus.
Phosphorus can then end up in waterways and oceans, causing it to be incorporated into sediments over time.
Phosphorus Cycle
Why is it important?
Phosphorus is vital for plant growth, without phosphorus plants would not be able to grow
This is a major issue since humans, and other life forms, need oxygen produced by plants to survive
Online Resources
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/961-the-phosphorus-cycle https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/ecology/biogeochemicalcycles/a/the-phosphorous-cycle https://enviroliteracy.org/air-climate-weather/biogeochemicalcycles/phosphorus-cycle/
