Astudent drew the following flowchart to show the movement of nutrients.
soil → roots → plants → ?
where does nitrogen go next?
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a. directly into aquifers through condensation
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b. directly into nearby animals as nutrition
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c. directly into the air through evaporation
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d. directly into nearby plants during fixation

B. Directly into nearby animals as nutrition

Explanation:

You should already know that the atmosphere is rich in nitrogen, however, this nitrogen is not available for plants. Plants only absorb nitrogen from the roots, being unable to absorb and release nitrogen into the atmosphere.

The nitrogen present in the soil is absorbed by the plants using the root, and through the help of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Once the nitrogen is absorbed, the plant will use this nutrient to form several molecules necessary for its survival. The plant will not release nitrogen into the atmosphere, however this nitrogen will be absorbed by herbivorous animals, during their feeding by vegetables.