New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition)

Question Bank – New Questions

% Chapter 2 Human responsibilities for

the environment

Structured questions

[10177773] Cross-topic Data interpretation Comparison

* Biofuels can be produced from some types of plants. They can be used as
alternatives to fossil fuels. The table below shows the information about biofuels
produced from three different crops.
Maize Sugar cane Switch grass
Efficiency of manufacture^ 1.2 9.1 3.1
Carbon dioxide emission#
83 8 –24
(kg MJ–1)
Percentage change in carbon
dioxide emission if this fuel –18 –26 –124
replaced fossil fuel (%)
Volume of fuel produced per
1510 5900 3850
hectare of crop (dm3)
Need of water high high medium
Need of fertilizer high high low
Need of pesticide high medium low

^Efficiency of manufacture =

#
Carbon dioxide emission
= mass of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere by the growth of the crop,
manufacture and use of the fuel per unit of energy provided by the fuel

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New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition) E2: Chapter 2
Question Bank – New Questions

a Which crop is the best source of biofuel? Based on the information

provided, give three reasons to support your answer. (4 marks)
b Suggest two advantages and two disadvantages of using biofuels over fossil
fuels. (4 marks)
c Nowadays, biofuels are more expensive than fossil fuels. Suggest one way
to reduce the price of biofuels using genetic engineering. Explain your
answer. (2 marks)

-- answer --
a Sugar cane 1m
The efficiency of manufacture of the biofuel produced from sugar cane is the
highest. 1m
The volume of fuel produced per hectare of crop is the highest. 1m
The carbon dioxide emission is the lowest. 1m
(or other reasonable answers)
b Advantages:
Biofuels are renewable. 1m
Using biofuels to replace fossil fuels can reduce carbon dioxide emission. 1m
Disadvantages:
A large area of land has to be used for growing plants to produce biofuels.
Changes in land use may lead to a decrease in biodiversity.
1m
Fertilizers or pesticides used in the growing of plants may lead to pollution. 1m
(or other reasonable answers)
c The crops used to produce biofuels can be genetically modified using
recombinant DNA technology to increase their productivity.
1m
As the productivity increases, the cost for growing the crops becomes lower.
Thus, the price of biofuels can be reduced.
1m
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New Senior Secondary Mastering Biology (Second Edition) E2: Chapter 2
Question Bank – New Questions

[10177775] Reading comprehension Cross-topic High order thinking

* Read the following paragraph and answer the questions.

The Millennium Seed Bank Project (MSBP) is an international conservation
project. Its aim is to conserve 25% of the world’s wild plant species by storing
their seeds by 2020. Seeds of each species are collected from different sites in
the wild. They are then dried and stored at –20 C. Samples of the seeds are
taken from time to time for germination tests.

a State four advantages of storing seeds over keeping plants to conserve plant
species. (4 marks)
b Suggest how the seeds can be used in the future. (1 mark)
c Explain why the seeds of each species are collected from different sites in
the wild. (2 marks)
d Explain why samples of the seeds are taken from time to time for
germination tests. (2 marks)

-- answer --
a Most plants produce seeds in excess. Collecting seeds from the wild will not
damage the environment. 1m
Seeds take up little space for storage. 1m
Seeds are easy to transport. 1m
Seeds are less likely to be affected by diseases or pests. 1m
(or other reasonable answers)
b Seeds can be taken out and grown into new plants when certain plant species
become endangered. 1m
c This is to ensure there is a greater genetic variation among the seeds of the same
species. 1m
This increases the chance of survival of the species when the environmental
conditions change. 1m
d This is to assess the viability of the seeds. 1m
New seeds can be collected from the wild when the percentage of seeds that
germinate becomes too low. 1m
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