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Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a lot of it does not remain in the lower atmosphere because of?
1. Its escape into the outer stratosphere.
2. The photosynthesis by phytoplankton in the oceans.
​3. The trapping of air in the polar ice caps.
Q. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 and 2.
  • b)
    2 only.
  • c)
    2 and 3.
  • d)
    3 only. 
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentr...
The most important greenhouse gas, apart from water vapour, is carbon dioxide (CO2). Levels have changed over time both naturally and because of humans. Much of the carbon dioxide produced by humans does not stay in the atmosphere but is stored in the oceans or on land in plants and soils. By far the largest carbon store on Earth is in sediments, both on land and in the oceans, and it is held mainly as calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The second biggest store is the deep ocean where carbon occurs mostly as dissolved carbonate (CO32-) and hydrogen carbonate ions (HCO3-). We think that about a third of the carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning is stored in the oceans and it enters by both physical and biological processes.
As the carbon is heavier than air, not much of carbon dioxide escapes to stratosphere.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentr...
The correct answer is option 'B' i.e. 2 only.

Explanation:

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere and causes global warming. Human activities such as burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, etc. have increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

However, not all of the carbon dioxide remains in the lower atmosphere. The options given in the question are:

1. Its escape into the outer stratosphere.
2. The photosynthesis by phytoplankton in the oceans.
3. The trapping of air in the polar ice caps.

Out of these options, only option 2 is correct. This is because:

- Carbon dioxide is a soluble gas and dissolves in the oceans.
- Phytoplankton are tiny aquatic plants that use sunlight to carry out photosynthesis and produce organic matter. They require carbon dioxide for this process.
- When phytoplankton photosynthesize, they take in carbon dioxide from the water and release oxygen.
- This process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it in the ocean as organic matter.
- Therefore, phytoplankton act as a carbon sink and help to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Option 1 is incorrect because carbon dioxide is a heavy gas and does not rise to the outer stratosphere. Option 3 is incorrect because the trapping of air in the polar ice caps does not affect the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
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Human activities in the recent past have caused the increased concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a lot of it does not remain in the lower atmosphere because of?1. Its escape into the outer stratosphere.2. The photosynthesis by phytoplankton in the oceans.3. The trapping of air in the polar ice caps.Q.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a)1 and 2.b)2 only.c)2 and 3.d)3 only.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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