Answer: The answer is D: the bacteria create endospores making the bacteria resistant to environmental conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most likely reason that the bacteria that cause tetanus are able to survive in the soil is because they create endospores, which makes them resistant to environmental conditions. Endospores are a type of hardy, dormant form of the bacteria that can survive extreme conditions, such as heat, cold, and desiccation. By creating endospores, the bacteria are able to survive in the soil and remain inactive until they encounter a suitable host.