THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

HKU SPACE Community College

Associate Degree Programme (2024-25)
C C S T 4 0 0 9 E n viro n m e n t a l C h a ll e n g e s a n d S u s t a in a bilit y

Assignment 1 Submission Due Date: 28 Feb 2025 (Fri)

SECTION A – Multiple Choice Answer Questions (30 marks)

Each question has one correct answer.

1. Which process releases dinitrogen gas (N2) back to the atmosphere?

A. Food chain transfer

B. Nitrification
C. Decomposition of inorganic nitrogen
D. Physical nitrogen fixation

S
E. Denitrification

2. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A. Photosynthesis is an energy releasing process.

B. Green plants perform photosynthesis at daytime and respiration at nighttime only.
C. Cellular respiration is an energy requiring process.
D. Only producers can perform photosynthesis.
E. Primary consumers can perform both photosynthesis and respiration.

3. Which of the following spheres is/are involved in the carbon (C) cycle?
I. atmosphere
S
II. hydrosphere
III. lithosphere
IV.
- biosphere

A. I only
B. IV only
&
C. I, II and IV
D. II, III and IV
E. I, II, III and IV
4. Which of the following substances is NOT classified as “detritus”?

A. Dead body of an earthworm

B. A falling leaf
C. Fecal wastes
&
D. A sheep eating grass.
E. Excretion wastes

5. Organisms that are not capable of generating their own food are called ___________.
A. Autotrophs
-
B. Heterotrophs
C. Carnivores
D. Omnivores
E. Scavengers
17 I
6. Which of the following species is/are classified as a molecule also a compound?
I. Oxygen gas, O2
II. Chlorine gas, Cl2
III. Glucose, C6H12O6
IV. Carbon dioxide, CO2

A. I and II
B. II and III
C. II and IV
D. III and IV
&
E. I, II, III, IV
↑E
&
-

7. Which of the following processes does not involve methane (CH4) production?

*
A. Pyrolysis of coal
B. Drilling of oil to find natural gas
C. Fermentation of agricultural wastes
D. Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge
* E. Combustion of wood wastes
-***
8. The blue-green algae ____________.

A. is a fungi
B. is an autotroph
&
C. is a primary consumer
D. cannot undergo photosynthesis
E. will not grow in the provision of excessive phosphorus
 9. Which of the following is not classified as ecosystem services?
-
A. Water purification
B. Pest regulation
C. Natural hazard regulation
D. Fresh water
-
E. Provision of nutrients via the nitrogen cycle

10. -
Carbon dioxide gases absorb heat from the Earth by:

A. dissociating into oxygen gas and carbon atoms.

B. converting the heat into more rapid kinetic energy.
-
C. absorbing infrared radiation and reradiating it again.
D. rotating the earth more rapidly.
E. absorbing ultraviolet light and reradiating it again.

Section B – Structural Questions (20 marks)

1. (8 marks)

Which nutrient cycle involves the use of bacteria [2 marks]? Name two bacteria and explain their
roles in dealing with the nitrogen. State the nature of the nitrogen [ 3 marks each].

Nitrogen Cycle involves

the use of bacteria . The first bacteria is Rhizobium bacteria .

It can fix the nonreactive N Catmospheric dinitrogen) into reactive N .

NAS .
It cannot directly
used intert gas It is lives rost modules of legumes which make it
biologically
by plants as it is an .
in the

bacteria And the

plants receives a source of nitrogen (NO) in return-

food and place to live to the .

avaliable Such
.
as
providing a

NHyto ,
nitrifying bacteria It converts No
also called
.

The other barteria is

soil bacteria ,

Plants
available for plant uptake again
.

And No , is
order to obtain energy . TongcNos]
in
Nr as ammonium (NHp") or nitrate
take up
in the
terrestrial ecosystem ,

and nucleic and compounds . Therefore ,

nitrogen
which incorporates it into proteins wastes. For
moves via the food chain and finally decomposed by decomposers ,
nitrogen
instance ,
NHp released.
2. (6 marks)
Matching the energy/fuel in left column to the corresponding source/production method in the
right column.

Geothermal energy A. Thermonuclear fusion in the sun core

Bioethanol If B. Wood Waste combustion
Biogas D C. Fractional distillation
Petrol C D. Fermentation of animal manure
Solar energy A E. Hot springs and natural steam vents
Biomass energy F. Fermentation of sugarcane
B

3. (6 marks)
State the four spheres [2 marks] and give ONE example to show the interconnected relationship
between the four spheres. Explain your answer [4 marks].

four spheres hydrosphere

biosphere
The are
atmosphere , ,

.
and lithosphere
war
air and
Take a hurricane as an
example ,

hurricane which creates

moisture in the atmosphere fuel the
draws heat and moisture
winds and rainfall . In Hydrosphere it
strong
,

its intensity . For lithosphere

craters which increases
from warm ocean

crode coastal land and damage

and winds can
floodwaters strong human
surface The hurricane also impacts
the Earth's .

infrastructure on

habits in biosphere .
communities and destroys

End