Traditional Composting Quiz

1. True or False You must maintain a hot compost pile in order to produce finished compost. 2. True or False You must use a compost activator to produce compost. 3. True or False Traditional composting works well for apartment dwellers. 4. Put a check by each item that can be safely composted at home. For all other items indicate preferred method of disposal.

Material Can Be Safely Preferred Method of Composted at Home Disposal Baby diapers Bacon grease Cellophane Chicken bones Coffee grounds & filters Cooked meat Cotton tee shirts Egg shells Grass clippings Junk mail Milk cartons Newspapers Orange peels Paper plates Polyester pillowcase Rabbit manure Raw meat Road kill Rotten tomatoes Soda can Sprouted potatoes Used cat box litter Vegetable peelings

5. Which of the following will speed up your compost operation?

a. Keep you compost pile soggy wet.

b. Include layers of big branches to allow for aeration.

c. Maintain a C-N ratio at or above 100:1.

d. Chop raw materials into smaller pieces to increase surface area.

Traditional Composting Quiz Contextual Biology Integrated Projects Page 1 of 3 Created by the Center for Occupational Research and Development http://www.cordonline.net/HiESTbiology 6. These bacteria work best in temperatures around 55°F:

a. Mesophiic

b. Thermophilic

c. Anaerobic

d. Aerobic

e. Psycrohpilic

7. These bacteria work best in environments with oxygen:

a. Mesophiic

b. Thermophilic

c. Anaerobic

d. Aerobic

e. Psycrohpilic

8. These bacteria start working when your compost pile heats up over 100°F.

a. Mesophiic

b. Thermophilic

c. Anaerobic

d. Aerobic

e. Psycrohpilic

9. The byproducts produced when these bacteria break down wastes include hydrogen sulfide and other smelly compounds.

a. Mesophiic

b. Thermophilic

c. Anaerobic

d. Aerobic

e. Psycrohpilic

10. These bacteria would predominate in room temperature environments.

a. Mesophiic

Traditional Composting Quiz Contextual Biology Integrated Projects Page 2 of 3 Created by the Center for Occupational Research and Development http://www.cordonline.net/HiESTbiology b. Thermophilic

c. Anaerobic

d. Aerobic

e. Psycrohpilic

11. Describe the uses and benefits of compost and composting. Use the back of sheet if needed.

Traditional Composting Quiz Contextual Biology Integrated Projects Page 3 of 3 Created by the Center for Occupational Research and Development http://www.cordonline.net/HiESTbiology