Tag: food material and source

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a weak base, and lime (calcium hydroxide) is a strong base. Both substances have a pH greater than 7, placing them in the alkaline range.

Humus is the dark, organic material that forms in soil when plant and animal matter decays. It is a vital component of fertile soil.

Microorganisms are the primary decomposers in the soil. By breaking down organic matter, they accelerate the production of humus, which enriches the soil.

Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organic matter. Fungi, along with bacteria, are the primary decomposers in an ecosystem.

Humus improves soil structure, increases water retention, and provides essential nutrients, all of which directly enhance soil fertility.

Decomposers are saprotrophs, which decompose the organic remains of plants and animals by secreting extracellular digestive enzymes. Due to degradation of organic remains, decomposers are also called reducers. Heterotrophic bacteria and saprophytic fungi are the important organisms which usually act as decomposers. Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Interspecific hybridization often fails to form normal embryos due to genetic incompatibility. However, the reason provided is not the cause of the failure; rather, it is a technique used to rescue such embryos.

Methyl mercury is a persistent pollutant that biomagnifies in food chains, and mercury poisoning is indeed the cause of Minamata disease. These are two distinct facts about mercury, so the reason does not explain the assertion.

In a grazing food chain, primary consumers (herbivores) directly feed upon living plant material.

According to the 10% law of energy transfer, energy is lost as heat at each trophic level. Therefore, the amount of available energy always decreases as you move up the food chain.