Decomposition

• Factors Affecting the Rate of Decompostion:

  • Temperature - chemical reactions occur faster in warmer conditions but if it's too hot, enzymes denature and stop decomposition
  • Water - microorganisms grow faster in conditions with water as it is needed for respiration
  • Oxygen - most decomposers respire aerobically
• Compost:

  • is produced when biological material decays
  • used by gardeners and farmers as a natural fertiliser
  • have to provide optimum conditions for decay to produce compost - more oxygen for aerobic respiration, leads to heat that increases temperatures and speeds up the rate of decay
• Methane Gas:

  • microorganisms decompose waste anaerobically to produce methane gas
  • can then be burnt as fuel
• Biogas Generators:

  • used to produce methane
  • require a constant temperature of 30C so microorganisms keep respiring
  • cannot be stored as a liquid so needs to be used immediately