| Questions | 5 |
| Topics | Biosphere, Consumers, Ecosystem, Health Benefits of Vitamins & Minerals, Precipitation |
The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships. This includes their interactions with the lithosphere (the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle), hydrosphere (all surface water), and atmosphere (the envelope of gases surrounding the planet).
Most animals consume other organisms to survive. Consumers (heterotrophs) are divided into three types, primary, secondary, and tertiary, based on their place in the food chain.
An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. This includes both the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living).
| Vitamin / Mineral | Sources | Health Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), spinach. | Aids bone growth and repair, muscle function. |
| Iron | Red meat, beans, whole grains. | Allows red blood cells to transfer oxygen to body tissues. |
| Magnesium | Nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables. | Muscle, nerve, and enzyme function. |
| Potassium | Bananas, nuts, seeds. | Helps balance fluid levels in the body. |
| Vitamin A | Liver, milk, eggs, carrots. | Vision, immune system, cell growth. |
| Vitamin C | Green and red peppers, citrus fruits, broccoli. | Collagen formation, immune system function, antioxidant (helps protect cells from damage). |
| Vitamin D | Exposure to sunlight. | Helps calcium strengthen bones, muscle, nerve, and immune system function. |
Rising into the atmosphere, the water condenses into clouds. When the clouds become too saturated with water, the water is released as snow or ice precipitation which may warm as it falls to reach Earth as rain.