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In high school, science students will look at energy and biomass in food chains. This quiz specifically looks at the decay and recycling of dead and waste material, or waste management.
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When we think of waste management we think of garbage can men and litter pickers. Many trees shed their leaves each year and most animals produce droppings at least once a day. All plants and animals eventually die so why are we not knee-deep in leaves, droppings and dead animals in the countryside? Is there someone who goes round cleaning up?
Of course not! It all happens naturally as part of the cycles of life. Waste and dead material will naturally decay. Microorganisms play an important part in decomposing waste material and animal carcasses so that the chemicals from which they are made can be used again by plants. The same material is recycled over and over again and can lead to stable communities.
In situations where something is removed from the system, the whole food web can break down as the plants do not get the nutrients they need to thrive. That is why farmers need to use fertilizers - as the crops are taken away, no nutrients are put back into the soil naturally so without fertilizers, the next crops would not be as good.
The compost heap in your garden is an artificial form of nature's recycling system. By placing uncooked food waste like vegetable peelings and grass cuttings in a pile or in a composting bin, they can rot down and decay and then be added back to the soil. Humans create vast amounts of rubbish which is taken to landfill sites. Part of the rubbish is garden waste. When this decomposes in a landfill site, the nutrients are wasted. This is poor management. Most local authorities run composting schemes where the garden waste is separated and sent for composting instead of to landfill sites.
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1.
|
Why do living things take things from their environment? |
|
[ ] |
They are parasites |
[ ] |
For growth and other life processes |
[ ] |
They are saprophyes |
[ ] |
To give them more room for living |
|
|
2.
|
In what form can these materials be returned to the environment? |
|
[ ] |
As droppings |
[ ] |
As carbon dioxide |
[ ] |
As dead bodies |
[ ] |
All of the above |
|
|
3.
|
How does nature recycle dead and waste materials? |
|
[ ] |
Decay |
[ ] |
Dissolving |
[ ] |
Melting |
[ ] |
Freezing |
|
|
4.
|
Which of the following makes things decay? |
|
[ ] |
Woodlice |
[ ] |
Worms |
[ ] |
Bacteria and fungi |
[ ] |
Viruses |
|
|
5.
|
How do microorganisms cause decay? |
|
[ ] |
They release enzymes which break down the dead material |
[ ] |
They release hormones that break down the dead material |
[ ] |
They engulf the dead material piece by piece |
[ ] |
They use their vacuoles as miniature mouths |
|
|
6.
|
Some students carried out an experiment to investigate the rate of decay of a potato. Below are just four of the experiments they tried. In which one would the potato decay fastest? |
|
[ ] |
Large pieces in a dry sealed container in warm conditions |
[ ] |
Small pieces in an open container in warm conditions and sprayed with water each day |
[ ] |
Large pieces in a dry sealed container in a refrigerator |
[ ] |
Small pieces in a dry sealed container in a refrigerator |
|
|
7.
|
Which word correctly describes something that can be broken down by the microorganisms that cause decay? |
|
[ ] |
Biodecayable |
[ ] |
Biodegradeable |
[ ] |
Biodestroyable |
[ ] |
Biodestructable |
|
|
8.
|
Which of the following methods of packaging does not break down naturally? |
|
[ ] |
A plastic bag |
[ ] |
A large envelope made from card |
[ ] |
Tissue paper used to protect delicate items in a box |
[ ] |
A cotton bag |
|
|
9.
|
Many local authorities run garden waste composting schemes. Which of the following is not an advantage of this? |
|
[ ] |
Large branches of trees in the waste need to be cut into much smaller pieces |
[ ] |
It reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill sites |
[ ] |
It recycles nutrients that would otherwise be lost |
[ ] |
The compost can be sold cheaply to local gardeners |
|
|
10.
|
Gardeners will 'turn' their compost regularly. This involves using a garden fork to bring the compost from the bottom of the pile to the top. Which of the following is the scientific reason for doing this? |
|
[ ] |
They were taught to do it by their parents |
[ ] |
So that the worms in the compost can get more light |
[ ] |
To get more air into the compost |
[ ] |
Organic materials decay better in the dark |
|
|
1.
|
Why do living things take things from their environment? |
|
[ ] |
They are parasites |
[x] |
For growth and other life processes |
[ ] |
They are saprophyes |
[ ] |
To give them more room for living |
|
|
2.
|
In what form can these materials be returned to the environment? |
|
[ ] |
As droppings |
[ ] |
As carbon dioxide |
[ ] |
As dead bodies |
[x] |
All of the above |
|
|
3.
|
How does nature recycle dead and waste materials? |
|
[x] |
Decay |
[ ] |
Dissolving |
[ ] |
Melting |
[ ] |
Freezing |
|
|
4.
|
Which of the following makes things decay? |
|
[ ] |
Woodlice |
[ ] |
Worms |
[x] |
Bacteria and fungi |
[ ] |
Viruses |
|
|
5.
|
How do microorganisms cause decay? |
|
[x] |
They release enzymes which break down the dead material |
[ ] |
They release hormones that break down the dead material |
[ ] |
They engulf the dead material piece by piece |
[ ] |
They use their vacuoles as miniature mouths |
|
|
6.
|
Some students carried out an experiment to investigate the rate of decay of a potato. Below are just four of the experiments they tried. In which one would the potato decay fastest? |
|
[ ] |
Large pieces in a dry sealed container in warm conditions |
[x] |
Small pieces in an open container in warm conditions and sprayed with water each day |
[ ] |
Large pieces in a dry sealed container in a refrigerator |
[ ] |
Small pieces in a dry sealed container in a refrigerator |
|
|
7.
|
Which word correctly describes something that can be broken down by the microorganisms that cause decay? |
|
[ ] |
Biodecayable |
[x] |
Biodegradeable |
[ ] |
Biodestroyable |
[ ] |
Biodestructable |
|
|
8.
|
Which of the following methods of packaging does not break down naturally? |
|
[x] |
A plastic bag |
[ ] |
A large envelope made from card |
[ ] |
Tissue paper used to protect delicate items in a box |
[ ] |
A cotton bag |
|
|
9.
|
Many local authorities run garden waste composting schemes. Which of the following is not an advantage of this? |
|
[x] |
Large branches of trees in the waste need to be cut into much smaller pieces |
[ ] |
It reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill sites |
[ ] |
It recycles nutrients that would otherwise be lost |
[ ] |
The compost can be sold cheaply to local gardeners |
|
|
10.
|
Gardeners will 'turn' their compost regularly. This involves using a garden fork to bring the compost from the bottom of the pile to the top. Which of the following is the scientific reason for doing this? |
|
[ ] |
They were taught to do it by their parents |
[ ] |
So that the worms in the compost can get more light |
[x] |
To get more air into the compost |
[ ] |
Organic materials decay better in the dark |
|
|