b. The compost pile contained incorrect amounts of "greens" and "browns".
The compost pile needs a proper balance of nitrogen-rich "greens" (such as fruit and vegetable scraps) and carbon-rich "browns" (such as leaves and straw) in order to decompose properly. If the ratio is off, the microorganisms responsible for breaking down the compost may not be able to do their job efficiently. In this case, the lack of decomposition and slow growth of microorganisms may be due to an incorrect balance of materials in the compost pile.
Your friend John is having trouble with his compost bin. The material in his compost pile doesn’t seem to be decomposing well. You take a sample of the pile and check for the presence of microorganisms under the microscope. You see that there are indeed microorganisms; however, they don’t appear to be growing very fast. John says that he regularly mixes his compost pile to expose it to oxygen but has noticed the pile feels cold. What is the most likely explanation for this problem?
a.The compost pile was placed in the sunshine.
b.The compost pile contained incorrect amounts of "greens" and "browns".
c.The compost pile contained aerobic bacteria.
d.The compost pile was sufficiently moist.
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