Question 1: Define fungi and describe their main characteristics relevant to bioenergy production.

Answer: Fungi are a kingdom of eukaryotic organisms that decompose organic matter, have chitin cell walls, and can produce enzymes to break down substrates; they are used in bioenergy due to their ability to ferment organic materials.

Question 2: Explain how fungi contribute to the process of fermentation in biofuel production.

Answer: Fungi produce enzymes that break down complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars during fermentation, which are then converted into bioethanol or biogas by microbial activity.

Question 3: Identify two advantages of using fungi in renewable energy industries.

Answer: Fungi can efficiently decompose plant waste to produce biofuels and operate in low-oxygen environments, reducing energy costs.

Question 1: If a fungal fermentation process converts 1 kilogram of glucose into 0.51 kilograms of ethanol, what is the percentage yield of ethanol? Show your working.

Answer: Percentage yield = (actual yield / theoretical yield) x 100 = (0.51 / 1) x 100 = 51%

Question 2: A bioreactor produces 200 litres of biogas per day. If the biogas contains 60% methane by volume, how many litres of methane are produced daily? Show your working.

Answer: Litres of methane = 200 x 0.60 = 120 litres

Question 1: Describe a basic experimental setup to test the efficiency of different fungal strains in producing bioethanol from agricultural waste. Include variables to control and safety precautions.

Answer: An experiment would involve preparing equal amounts of agricultural waste, inoculating each with different fungal strains, and incubating under controlled temperature and pH. Variables to control include temperature, pH, and substrate amount. Safety precautions include wearing gloves, eye protection, and working in a well-ventilated area to avoid exposure to biofuels and enzymes.

Question 1: A study shows that a particular fungal strain produces 30% more biogas when grown on a waste mixture containing 50% cellulose and 50% lignin compared to a pure cellulose substrate. Explain the possible biological reasons for this increase.

Answer: The mixture with lignin may provide additional nutrients or induce enzyme production that enhances decomposition, leading to increased biogas production. Lignin can also stimulate microbial activity, improving overall fermentation efficiency.

Question 1: Describe how fungi can be utilised in the production of renewable energy, including the biological mechanisms involved. Discuss at least two advantages and one limitation.

Answer: Fungi decompose organic waste using enzymes, producing simpler sugars that can be fermented into bioethanol or biogas. Advantages include their ability to process various waste materials and operate under mild conditions, reducing energy costs. A limitation is the slow growth rate of some fungi, which can limit production efficiency.

Question 1: Discuss how fungi could be integrated into current waste management systems to produce renewable energy and reduce environmental impact.

Answer: Fungi can be used to break down agricultural and organic waste in composting or biogas plants, converting waste into bioenergy. This reduces landfill waste, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and provides a sustainable energy source.