Question

which of the following would help decrease the amount of atmospheric co₂ in an area?
a increasing the number of livestock animals
b decreasing regulation limiting factory and transportation emissions
c increasing the number of photosynthetic plants
d depleting reserves of fossil fuels

Explanation:

• Option A: Increasing livestock animals leads to more methane (a greenhouse gas) and also livestock respiration releases CO₂. So this won't decrease atmospheric CO₂.
• Option B: Decreasing regulations on factory and transportation emissions means more CO₂ (from fossil - fuel burning in factories and vehicles) will be released into the atmosphere.
• Option C: Photosynthetic plants take in CO₂ during photosynthesis (\(6CO_{2}+6H_{2}O

ightarrow C_{6}H_{12}O_{6}+6O_{2}\)). Increasing their number will increase the rate of CO₂ uptake from the atmosphere.

• Option D: Depleting fossil - fuel reserves would mean more fossil - fuel burning (as we try to use up the remaining fuel). Fossil - fuel burning (\(C_{n}H_{2n + 2}+\frac{3n + 1}{2}O_{2}

ightarrow nCO_{2}+(n + 1)H_{2}O\)) releases CO₂.

Answer:

C. Increasing the number of photosynthetic plants