Why are the oceans considered a large carbon sink?
A. Carbon gets transferred among all the organisms of every food chain.
B. Phytoplankton takes in carbon through cellular respiration.
C. Decomposition rates in the water are far greater than on land.
D. Water absorbs carbon directly from the atmosphere by diffusion.
D. Water absorbs carbon directly from the atmosphere by diffusion.
The correct answer is D. Water absorbs carbon directly from the atmosphere by diffusion.
To understand why the oceans are considered a large carbon sink, we need to understand what a carbon sink is. A carbon sink is a reservoir that absorbs more carbon than it releases. In the case of the oceans, they absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, making them an effective carbon sink.
Carbon dioxide can dissolve in water, forming carbonic acid (H2CO3), which increases the acidity of the water. This process is known as ocean acidification. The oceans act as a carbon sink primarily through two main processes: physical dissolution and diffusion.
Carbon dioxide dissolves in the surface water of the oceans through physical dissolution. This occurs mainly at the air-sea interface, where the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere comes into contact with the water. The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the more it can dissolve in the oceans.
Diffusion is the movement of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the case of carbon dioxide, it diffuses from the atmosphere into the oceans. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is generally higher than in the surface water of the oceans, leading to the diffusion of carbon dioxide into the oceans.
Therefore, option D is the correct answer as water absorbs carbon directly from the atmosphere through diffusion, making the oceans a large carbon sink. The other options (A, B, and C) are not directly related to the carbon absorption process in the oceans.
D. Water absorbs carbon directly from the atmosphere by diffusion.
The oceans are considered a large carbon sink because water has the capacity to absorb carbon directly from the atmosphere through a process called diffusion. This means that carbon dioxide molecules in the air mix with water molecules in the ocean, resulting in the absorption of carbon by the water. This process helps to regulate the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, minimizing its impact on global climate change.