Read this sentence from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a federal agency focused on the condition of our oceans and atmosphere.
When Earth emits the same amount of energy as it absorbs, its energy budget is in balance, and its average temperature remains stable.
What logical conclusion can you draw from this sentence?
A.
The earth’s average temperature will always remain stable since the earth will continue to emit the same amount of energy that it absorbs.
B.
Humans can do nothing to affect either the amount of energy the earth emits or absorbs.
C.
Increasing or decreasing the amount of energy the earth emits will destabilize earth’s average temperature.
D.
It is possible to decrease the amount of energy that the earth emits without affecting the earth’s average temperature.