1.

This factor contributes to the carbon cycle

(a) fossil fuel combustion
(b) respiration
(c) photosynthesis
(d) all of these
Answer: (d)
2. The source of carbon to plants in the carbon cycle is
(a) fossil fuels
(b) carbonate rocks
(c) atmospheric carbon dioxide
(d) all of the above
Answer: (c)
3. The role of bacteria in the carbon cycle is
(a) Breakdown of organic compounds
(b) Chemosynthesis
(c) Photosynthesis
(d) Assimilation of nitrogen compounds
Answer: (a)
4. In the carbon cycle, the human body returns carbon to the atmosphere
through this way:
(a) formation of glucose
(b) waste products
(c) photosynthesis
(d) cellular respiration
Answer: (d)
5. Respiration and photosynthesis are central to this process
(a) nitrogen cycle
(b) phosphorous cycle
(c) carbon cycle
(d) sulphur cycle
Answer: (c)
6. The difference between the phosphorous cycle and carbon cycle lies in the
fact that
(a) the phosphorous cycle does not include a gaseous phase but the carbon
cycle does
(b) phosphorous does not enter living entities but carbon enters
(c) the phosphorous cycle includes a solid phase, the carbon cycle does not
(d) primary reservoir of the phosphorous cycle is the atmosphere, but rocks
are the primary reservoirs for carbon cycle
Answer: (a)
7. Most of the global warming is due to the perturbation of which of these
cycles?
(a) Global nitrogen cycle
(b) Global carbon cycle
(c) Global water cycle
(d) All of these cycles equally contribute
Answer: (b)
8. This carbon isotope is radioactive and very rare
(a) Carbon – 11
(b) Carbon – 12
(c) Carbon – 13
(d) Carbon – 14
Answer: (d
9. By this method, the majority of carbon moves from the lithosphere to the
atmosphere
(a) erosion
(b) deposition
(c) weathering
(d) fossil fuel burning
Answer: (d)
10. These entities sequester most carbon from the atmosphere
(a) Plants
(b) Archaea
(c) Bacteria
(d) Insects
Answer: (a)
1. Which among the following are the most important agents for carbon dioxide fixation?

a) bacteria

b) fungi

c) algae

d) protozoa

View Answer

Answer: c

Explanation: Green plants and algae are the most important agents of carbon dioxide fixation.

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2. Fresh air contains approximately ______ percent carbon dioxide by volume.

a) 0.01

b) 2

c) 5
d) 0.03

View Answer

Answer: d

Explanation: Fresh air contains approximately 0.03 percent carbon dioxide by volume. The end product,
carbon dioxide, from the degradation of organic carbon compounds are released into the air and soil.

3. Cellulose is degraded to cellobiose by the enzyme __________________

a) cellulase

b) beta-glucosidase

c) hexokinase

d) cellulose dehydrogenase

View Answer

Answer: a

Explanation: The most abundant organic material in plants is cellulose. The initial enzymatic at-tack is by
cellulase which splits this long-chain polymer of glucose to cellobiose which contains two glucose units.

4. The amount of organic material in the forest soil remains approximately the same from year to year.

a)True

b) False

View Answer

Answer: a

Explanation: Under most natural systems of vegetation, e.g., forests, the amount of organic material in
the soil remains approximately the same from year to year. This results from a balance established
between the annual litterfall and death of the plants and the capacity of microorganisms to degrade
these tissues.

5. In carbon cycle flow of energy is _________________

a) bidirectional

b) linear

c) cyclic
d) irreversible

View Answer

Answer: b

Explanation: In carbon cycle flow of energy is linear in unidirectional way through carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere to organic forms of carbon in soil.

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6. Cellobiose is metabolized directly by many microorganisms.

a) True

b) False

View Answer

Answer: b

Explanation: Cellobiose is split into glucose by the enzyme beta-glucosidase; glucose is metabolized
directly by microorganisms.

7. Cysteine breaks down in presence of cysteine desulfurase to give _________________

a) oxaloacetic acid

b) sulphuric acid

c) pyruvic acid

d) glyoxalate

View Answer

Answer: c

Explanation: Degradation of proteins liberates amino acids, some of which contain sulphur released by
the enzymatic activity of many heterotrophic bacteria. Cysteine breaks down in presence of cysteine
desulfurase to give pyruvic acid, hydrogen sulphide and ammonia.

8. Which of the following processes is performed by Thiobacillus thiooxidans?

a) converting sulphur to sulphates

b) converting sulphur to sulphides

c) converting sulphur to sulphites

d) converting organic sulphur to inorganic sulphur

View Answer

Answer: a

Explanation: Thiobacillus thiooxidans, an autotroph, is capable of oxidizing elemental sulphur to

sulphates.

9. Sulphates are reduced to hydrogen sulphide by _____________________

a) Desulfotomaculum sp.

b) Thiobacillus thiooxidans

c) Photosynthetic sulfur bacteria

d) Rhodospirillum

View Answer

Answer: a

Explanation: Sulphates are reduced to hydrogen sulphide by soil microorganisms like Desulfotomaculum
species. Like calcium sulphate gives us hydrogen sulphide and calcium hydroxide.

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10. The Winogradsky column experiment is done in the dark.

a) True

b) False

View Answer

Answer: b

Explanation: A laboratory technique which facilitates isolation of various sulfur-metabolilizing bacteria is

the Winogradsky column. The column contains mud, CaSO4, plant tissue, and water. It is exposed to
daylight and incubated at room temperature.

11. The reduction of sulphates and sulphites to hydrogen sulphide is done by which group of bacteria?
a) aerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria

b) photosynthetic sulphur bacteria

c) anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria

d) heterotrophic bacteria

View Answer

Answer: c

Explanation: Organic acids serve as the electron donors for the reduction of sulfates to sulfites to
hydrogen sulfide by anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria.

12. Which among the following develop in the upper portion of the Winogradsky column?

a) Sulfate-reducing bacteria

b) Green-sulfur bacteria

c) Purple-sulfur bacteria

d) Thiobacilli

View Answer

Answer: d

Explanation: The aerobic sulfur-metabolizing bacteria, Thiobacillus sp.., develop in the upper portion of
the column and oxidize reduced sulfur compounds.

13. Purple and green sulfur bacteria use ___________________ as the electron donor to reduce carbon
dioxide.

a) S2-

b) SO42-

c) H2S

d) Organic acids

View Answer

Answer: c

Explanation: Photosynthetic microorganisms such as the purple and green sulfur bacteria use hydrogen
sulphide as the electron donor to reduce carbon dioxide.
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14. Which among the following is a non-sulfur purple bacteria?

a) Rhodomicrobium

b) Thiobacillus

c) Chromatium

d) Chlorobium

View Answer

Answer: a