Question

if an atom of nitrogen is not in a living organism, where is it? thrown away in a landfill on the surface of the earth not in existence anywhere else in the universe stored deep beneath the earths surface in its core in the nonliving portion of the environment

Explanation:

Nitrogen atoms cycle through the environment. When not in a living organism, they are in the non - living part of the environment. Landfills are part of the non - living environment but not the only place. Nitrogen atoms do exist elsewhere in the universe. The Earth's core is not a common storage for nitrogen in this context. The non - living portion of the environment is the most general and correct answer as it encompasses all non - biological locations where nitrogen can be.

Answer:

in the nonliving portion of the environment