If a detector shows a large amount of nitrogen gas being produced by a patch of soil, that patch of soil must contain

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Denitrifiers are microorganisms that convert nitrates (NO3-) in the soil to nitrogen gas (N2) and other gaseous forms of nitrogen, which would result in a large amount of nitrogen gas being produced in the soil. Rhizobia are nitrogen-fixing bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form for plants, but they would not produce nitrogen gas as a byproduct. Flowering plants and decomposers may play a role in the nitrogen cycle, but they would not necessarily be directly responsible for producing nitrogen gas. Nitrifiers convert ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2-) and then to nitrate (NO3-), so they would not produce nitrogen gas either.

If a Detector Shows a Large Amount of Nitrogen Gas