Question

15/20
what happens to the carbon in plants when they are eaten by animals?
it is stored indefinitely within the animal’s body
it is converted into oxygen through the process of digestion
it is transformed into energy and some of it becomes part of the animal’s body
it is immediately released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• "It is stored indefinitely within the animal’s body": Incorrect, as carbon is used for energy and not stored indefinitely.
• "It is converted into oxygen through the process of digestion": Incorrect, digestion doesn't convert carbon to oxygen.
• "It is transformed into energy and some of it becomes part of the animal’s body": Correct. When animals eat plants, they break down plant matter (containing carbon) for energy, and some carbon becomes part of the animal's body (e.g., in tissues).
• "It is immediately released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide": Incorrect, as not all carbon is immediately released; some is used for growth/body structure.

Answer:

The correct option is the third one: "It is transformed into energy and some of it becomes part of the animal’s body"