ientists 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.

Question

ientists 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.

Responses
A The carbon found in coal and oil is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.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.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.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.

Answer 1

A The carbon found in coal and oil is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

This statement is accurate because when coal and oil are burned for energy, carbon is released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. This process contributes to the greenhouse effect and global warming. Therefore, the carbon in coal and oil is not a dead-end in the carbon cycle but rather a source of carbon that is continuously cycling between the Earth's atmosphere, biosphere, and oceans.