Plants acquire minerals from the soil by:

Options

A. Recycling them
B. Growing
C. Rain water
D. Soil microbes.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Question**: The question asks how plants acquire minerals from the soil. To answer this, we need to explore the various mechanisms through which plants can obtain these essential nutrients.

2. **Identifying the Options**: The options provided are:
- Option 1: Recycling them
- Option 2: Growing
- Option 3: Rainwater
- Option 4: Soil microbes

3. **Analyzing Each Option**:
- **Option 1 (Recycling them)**: This option implies that plants recycle minerals. While plants do utilize minerals repeatedly, they do not acquire them through recycling.
- **Option 2 (Growing)**: This option suggests that growth itself is a method of acquiring minerals. However, growth is a process that requires minerals rather than a method of acquiring them.
- **Option 3 (Rainwater)**: Rainwater can contain some minerals, but it is not the primary way plants acquire minerals from the soil.
- **Option 4 (Soil microbes)**: This option highlights the role of soil microbes, such as bacteria (e.g., Azotobacter and Rhizobium), in the process of nitrogen fixation. These microbes convert atmospheric nitrogen into forms that plants can absorb, such as ammonium ions, nitrite ions, and nitrate ions.

4. **Conclusion**: After analyzing all the options, it is clear that the most accurate answer is **Option 4: Soil microbes**. These microbes play a crucial role in converting nitrogen into usable forms for plants, thus aiding in their mineral acquisition.

**Final Answer**: Plants acquire minerals from the soil primarily through the action of soil microbes.

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