If earth’s atmosphere is made up of 78% nitrogen, why is nitrogen a limiting factor for producers? A.
Consumers respire all of the available nitrogen.

B.
Nitrogen is unusable in its liquid form.

C.
There are more plants than gaseous nitrogen.

D.
Nitrogen is unusable in its gaseous form.

Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up nearly 80% of the Earth's atmosphere, yet nitrogen is often the nutrient that limits primary production in many ecosystems. Why is this so? Because plants and animals are not able to use nitrogen gas in that form.

cellular respiration oxidizes food into energy in the form of atps.

glycolysis (6 c hexose) > 2x atps are used > 6c hexose biphosphate > 2 x 3c triphosphate >

2 x 3c pyruvate (2x nadh produced from nad) and (4x atp produced)

pyruvate actively pumped mitochondrial matrix.