Adding organic materials, such as sewage or paper pulp, to water stimulates consumption of which chemical by decomposers.

The correct answer is:Oxygen
Important PointsOrganic materials

• Adding organic materials such as sewage or paper pulp to water increases the amount of organic matter in the water.
• This organic matter serves as a food source for decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi.
• As they consume this organic matter, they require oxygen to respire and break it down.
• Therefore, adding organic materials to water stimulates the consumption of oxygen by decomposers.
• This can lead to a decrease in the dissolved oxygen levels in the water, which can have negative impacts on aquatic organisms that also require oxygen to survive.

When organic materials such as sewage or paper pulp are added to water, they serve as a food source for decomposers like bacteria and fungi.

• As they break down these organic materials, they consume oxygen in the process of respiration.
• This consumption of oxygen by decomposers is known as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), which is a measure of the amount of dissolved oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to break down organic matter in water.
• When BOD levels are high, it indicates that there is a large amount of organic matter in the water, which can lead to reduced oxygen levels and harm aquatic life.
• Therefore, it is important to manage the disposal of organic materials, such as through proper treatment of sewage and industrial effluents, to prevent negative impacts on water quality and the environment.