ECOLOGY: Renewable and Non Renewable Resources - Review

What is plastic normally made of?

• It is a hydrocarbon polymer derived from fossil fuels.
• It is a carbohydrate polymer derived from vegetable starch.
• It is a hydrophobic macromolecule made from 3 fatty acids and 1 glycerol.
• It is a hydrocarbon polymer derived from plant cellulose.

It is a giant zone in the ocean, twice the size of Texas, with almost 2 trillion pieces of plastic waste.

• The Great Trash Cabbage Patch
• The Great Oceanic Trash Island
• The Great Pacific Trash Gyre
• The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

When they are ingested they can cause a blockage in the gastrointestinal tract of organisms, tricking them into thinking they are full and leading them to starve to death.

• Microplastics
• Microorganisms
• Microalgae
• Phytoplankton

What do experts estimate will happen by the year 2050 in the ocean?

• The plastic waste in the ocean will outweigh the fish in the ocean.
• The plastic waste will have killed all marine life.
• All species of turtles will have gone extinct.
• Humans will no longer be able to eat fish safely.

It is the process by which plastics can be broken down and converted into water, carbon dioxide and biomass over time by natural means.

• Biodegradation
• Bioremediation
• Biotization
• Oxo-degradation

They are the type of plastic that will biodegrade at least 90% within 180 days under special conditions in an industrial composting facility,

• Compostable
• Bio-based
• Oxo-degradable
• Biomimetic

They are like conventional petrochemical plastics mixed with additives that help them quickly break down into smaller pieces, called microplastics, but are not biodegradable at the molecular level.

• Oxo-degradable
• Compostable
• Bio-based
• Biomimetic

Which of the following IS NOT a possible source for bio-based plastics?

• Animal skin
• Corn starch
• Potato starch
• Algae agar

What type of recycling transforms waste products into a product of higher value?

• Upcycling
• Downcycling
• Postcycling
• Precycling

What type of recycling transforms waste products back into its basic raw materials?

• Upcycling
• Downcycling
• Postcycling
• Precycling