Nitrogen fixation

Nitrogen fixation is a process that makes nitrogen gas in the air into useful nitrogen compounds called nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen fertilizers help plants grow bigger and healthier. Plants need nitrogen to make proteins and other important compounds, but they can't use nitrogen gas from the air. Nitrogen fixation is a process that changes the nitrogen gas form into a form plants can use. It involves special bacteria that live in the soil. The bacteria take in nitrogen gas from the air and make nitrogen compounds that plants can use. Some plants, like peanuts and beans, have special organs called nodules which can also fix nitrogen gas.