Question

deforestation is an example of a human activity that affects the carbon cycle. which byproduct of the carbon cycle would deforestation reduce?
a. water vapor
b. oxygen
c. carbon dioxide
d. chlorophyll

Explanation:

Plants play a crucial role in the carbon cycle through photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) and water (\(H_2O\)), and using sunlight, they produce glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\)) as by - products. Deforestation reduces the number of plants. Since oxygen is a by - product of the photosynthetic part of the carbon cycle (where plants are involved), fewer plants (due to deforestation) mean less oxygen production.
Water vapor is more related to the water cycle (evapotranspiration from plants, but this is not a by - product of the carbon cycle in the context of the question). Carbon dioxide is a gas that is cycled (taken in by plants and released by various processes like respiration and combustion), but deforestation actually can lead to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (as there are fewer plants to take it in and also if the trees are burned during deforestation, more \(CO_2\) is released). Chlorophyll is a pigment in plants, not a by - product of the carbon cycle.

Answer:

B. Oxygen