Scientists previously referred to the long-ago deposited plant and animal remains, now buried, compacted, and transformed into coal and oil, as the dead-end of the carbon cycle. Since the Industrial Revolution, that would be an inaccurate statement. Examine the model and explain.
A. The carbon found in coal and oil is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
B. Factories burning coal and oil deposit industrial wastes that add carbon back into the environment
C. The carbon stored in the coal and oil combines with water in the atmosphere and falls back to Earth
D. The combustion of coal and oil releases nitrogen by-products into the environment to be used again by man
The correct answer is A. The carbon found in coal and oil is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
The Industrial Revolution marked a significant increase in the burning of fossil fuels, which are primarily made up of carbon. When coal and oil are burned, they release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. This process effectively returns the carbon, which was previously stored in these deposits, back into the carbon cycle.
B. Factories burning coal and oil may indeed release other pollutants into the environment, but these do not necessarily add carbon back into the environment. The primary concern here is the release of carbon dioxide.
C. While water vapor can interact with carbon compounds in the atmosphere, this process would not result in the carbon being deposited back on Earth. It would still remain in the atmosphere.
D. The combustion of coal and oil primarily releases carbon dioxide, not nitrogen compounds. While there are nitrogen-containing pollutants emitted during combustion, these are not directly related to the carbon cycle.