Question

23 a carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon from the environment than it releases. which process carried out by krill results in the accumulation and storage of carbon for a period of time? (1) photosynthesis in the atmosphere releases carbon to the atmosphere. (2) respiration in the geosphere releases carbon wastes into the atmosphere. (3) elimination of wastes in the hydrosphere stores carbon on the ocean floor. (4) acidification in the biosphere stores carbon in the bodies of organisms.

Explanation:

1. Analyze option 1: Krill are animals, not capable of photosynthesis, and photosynthesis absorbs carbon, not release. Also, photosynthesis occurs in organisms with chlorophyll, not in the atmosphere. So this is incorrect.
2. Analyze option 2: Respiration releases carbon (as CO₂) into the atmosphere, which is a release, not storage. Also, krill respiration would be in the biosphere (aquatic part), not geosphere. So incorrect.
3. Analyze option 3: Krill eliminate wastes (like fecal matter) in the hydrosphere (ocean). These wastes can sink to the ocean floor, storing carbon there. This matches the idea of carbon storage (sink) as the carbon is stored on the ocean floor instead of being released.
4. Analyze option 4: Acidification in the biosphere (ocean acidification) is due to increased CO₂, and it affects organisms' shells, not store carbon in organisms' bodies in a way related to krill's waste or processes for carbon storage. Also, the description is inaccurate for carbon storage by krill.

Answer:

(3) Elimination of wastes in the hydrosphere stores carbon on the ocean floor.