BECE - Basic Education Certificate Examination Photosynthesis and Ecosystems Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following correctly lists the raw materials needed for photosynthesis?
- Oxygen and sunlight
- Carbon dioxide and water (Correct answer)
- Glucose and oxygen
- Water and glucose
Correct answer: Carbon dioxide and water
Photosynthesis is the process where plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create their own food (glucose) and release oxygen as a byproduct. Therefore, carbon dioxide and water are the essential raw materials.
Question 2: In a food chain, an organism that feeds on plants is known as a
- Producer
- Secondary consumer
- Primary consumer (Correct answer)
- Decomposer
Correct answer: Primary consumer
Producers, like plants, make their own food. Primary consumers are herbivores that get their energy by eating producers. Secondary consumers eat primary consumers, and decomposers break down dead organic matter.
Question 3: A student observes that fallen leaves in a forest eventually disappear. Which group of organisms is primarily responsible for this process?
- Producers
- Herbivores
- Carnivores
- Decomposers (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Decomposers
Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down dead organic material like fallen leaves. This process, called decomposition, recycles nutrients back into the soil, which are then used by producers.
Question 4: What is the primary source of energy for almost all ecosystems on Earth?
- The moon
- The sun (Correct answer)
- Geothermal heat
- Chemical bonds in rocks
Correct answer: The sun
The sun is the ultimate source of energy for most life on Earth. Plants (producers) capture this light energy through photosynthesis and convert it into chemical energy, which is then transferred through the food web.
Question 5: A food web is a more realistic representation of an ecosystem than a food chain because it shows that
- energy flows in only one direction.
- all organisms are the same size.
- most organisms have multiple food sources. (Correct answer)
- ecosystems do not contain decomposers.
Correct answer: most organisms have multiple food sources.
A food chain shows a single path of energy flow. However, in a real ecosystem, most animals eat more than one type of food. A food web consists of many interconnected food chains and more accurately shows these complex feeding relationships.
Question 6: The process by which plants release oxygen into the atmosphere is a direct result of
- Respiration
- Transpiration
- Photosynthesis (Correct answer)
- Decomposition
Correct answer: Photosynthesis
During photosynthesis, plants use light energy to split water molecules. This process releases oxygen as a byproduct, which is then released into the atmosphere. Respiration, on the other hand, uses oxygen and releases carbon dioxide.
BECE - Basic Education Certificate Examination Photosynthesis and Ecosystems Questions and Answers 1
Which of the following correctly lists the raw materials needed for photosynthesis?