Question

Conversion of ammonia to nitrates is called -

• A. Ammonification
• B. Assimilation
• C. Nitrification
• D. Denitrification

Hint:

Remember that "nitrification" is the process of {making nitrates}, which is a usable form of nitrogen for most plants. It's a key step in making nitrogen available in the soil.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for the name of a specific process within the nitrogen cycle: the oxidation of ammonia to nitrates.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's define the terms related to the nitrogen cycle:
Ammonification: The conversion of organic nitrogen from dead organisms into ammonia (\(NH_3\)) or ammonium (\(NH_4^+\)) by decomposers.
Assimilation: The process by which plants and other organisms absorb nitrates or ammonia from the soil and incorporate the nitrogen into their own proteins and nucleic acids.
Nitrification: This is a two-step process where ammonia/ammonium is oxidized first to nitrites (\(NO_2^-\)) by bacteria like Nitrosomonas, and then the nitrites are further oxidized to nitrates (\(NO_3^-\)) by bacteria like Nitrobacter. The overall conversion from ammonia to nitrates is called nitrification. This matches the question perfectly.
Denitrification: The process where nitrates (\(NO_3^-\)) are converted back into atmospheric nitrogen gas (\(N_2\)) by denitrifying bacteria, returning nitrogen to the atmosphere.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The conversion of ammonia to nitrates is correctly termed nitrification.