Question: Many bacteria are decomposer organisms. Which of the following statements best describes how these bacteria help make soil more fertile?
Answer: The bacteria break down plant and animal matter.
Hypothesis: bacteria causes soil to become more fertile by breaking down dead plants and animals
Supporting facts: sent1: as the amount of organic matter in soil increases , the soil will be better for the growth of plants sent2: fertile soil is better for the growth of plants than non-fertile soil sent3: when something is transported to a place the amount of that something in that place increases sent4: an animal is a kind of organism sent5: nutrients / nitrogen is a part of dead organisms sent6: returning something is a kind of method for transporting something sent7: decomposition is when a decomposer recycles / returns nutrients / nitrogen from dead organisms to the soil by eating those dead organisms sent8: a bacterium is a kind of decomposer sent9: when something is broken down is is turned into the things it is made of sent10: a plant is a kind of organism sent11: decomposition is when a decomposer breaks down dead organisms sent12: an organism is made of organic matter
Reasoning: [BECAUSE] as the amount of organic matter in soil increases , the soil will be better for the growth of plants [AND] fertile soil is better for the growth of plants than non-fertile soil [INFER] int1: as the amount of organic matter in soil increases, the soil will become more fertile [BECAUSE] decomposition is when a decomposer breaks down dead organisms [AND] a bacterium is a kind of decomposer [INFER] int2: bacteria break down dead organisms [BECAUSE] nutrients / nitrogen is a part of dead organisms [AND] decomposition is when a decomposer recycles / returns nutrients / nitrogen from dead organisms to the soil by eating those dead organisms [INFER] int3: a decomposer returns parts of dead organisms to the soil [BECAUSE] int2 [AND] int3 [INFER] int4: bacteria break down dead organisms and returns parts of dead organisms to the soil [BECAUSE] int4 [AND] when something is broken down is is turned into the things it is made of [INFER] int5: bacteria breaking down dead organisms turns those dead organisms into the things they are made of and returns it to the soil [BECAUSE] int5 [AND] an organism is made of organic matter [INFER] int6: bacteria breaking down dead organisms turns those dead organisms into organic matter and returns it to the soil [BECAUSE] when something is transported to a place the amount of that something in that place increases [AND] returning something is a kind of method for transporting something [INFER] int7: when something is returned to a place the amount of that something in that place increases [BECAUSE] int6 [AND] int7 [INFER] int8: bacteria increases the amount of organic matter in the soil by breaking down dead organisms [BECAUSE] int1 [AND] int8 [INFER] int9: bacteria causes soil to more become fertile by breaking down dead organisms [BECAUSE] a plant is a kind of organism [AND] an animal is a kind of organism [INFER] int10: plants and animals are kinds of organisms [BECAUSE] int10 [AND] int9 [INFER] int11: bacteria causes soil to become more fertile by breaking down dead plants and animals