I'm currently doing a test and I really need some help
Which provides evidence that humans are causing an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere?
A. The net flux of carbon out of the atmosphere without including the contribution from burning fossil fuels is zero.
B.The net flux of carbon into the atmosphere without including the contribution from burning fossil fuels is negative.
C. The net flux of carbon into the atmosphere without including the contribution from burning fossil fuels is positive.***
D. The net flux of carbon out of the atmosphere without including the contribution from burning fossil fuels is negative.
Isn't it increasing without fossil fuels tho? i'm now kind of confused
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand the concept of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere and how human activities contribute to its increase.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that plays a significant role in the Earth's climate system. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has been rising steadily over the past century, primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, and natural gas) and deforestation.
To answer this question, we need to consider the net flux of carbon into or out of the atmosphere, excluding the contribution from burning fossil fuels. This means we should focus on natural processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and the carbon cycle.
Option A states that the net flux of carbon out of the atmosphere, excluding fossil fuel burning, is zero. This suggests that the natural processes removing carbon from the atmosphere cancel out the natural processes adding carbon, resulting in no net change. However, this does not imply that humans are causing an increase in CO2 concentration.
Option B states that the net flux of carbon into the atmosphere, excluding fossil fuel burning, is negative. This means that the natural processes removing carbon from the atmosphere are greater than those adding carbon, resulting in a decrease in atmospheric CO2 concentration. Again, this does not support the claim that humans are causing an increase.
Option C states that the net flux of carbon into the atmosphere, excluding fossil fuel burning, is positive. This implies that the natural processes adding carbon to the atmosphere outweigh those removing carbon, leading to an increase in CO2 concentration. This aligns with the idea that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, are contributing to the rise in atmospheric CO2 levels. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.
Option D states that the net flux of carbon out of the atmosphere, excluding fossil fuel burning, is negative. This suggests that there is a decrease in CO2 concentration due to the natural processes removing carbon being greater than those adding carbon. Once again, this does not support the claim that humans are causing an increase.
In conclusion, the correct answer is option C, which provides evidence that humans are causing an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.
Seems to me that C is the worst possible choice. It says that CO2 is increasing even without the fossil fuels.
I do not know if it is increasing without fossil fuels.
However I know it is increasing.
If the net flow NOT including burning fuel is negative
and the net flow into the air is positive.
Then it is increasing due to the burning of fossil fuels