Final answer:
Option 4.
During the early and middle Jurassic, most coal was deposited south of the equator, where ancient forests once thrived and later became compressed into coal reserves.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the early and middle Jurassic, coal was predominantly deposited south of the equator.
period was known for the transformation of the Earth's vegetation, where large forests consisting mostly of primitive seed plants and early trees formed and thrived.
Over time, these massive terrestrial forests, once abundant, were buried and compressed to form coal reserves.
The location of these deposits indicates that during the Carboniferous Period, the landmasses containing these forests were situated closer to the equatorial region, which later drifted to their current positions due to plate tectonics.
Today, these coal deposits can be found in several areas, including Great Britain, Germany, and Ukraine, testifying to the widespread distribution of these ancient forests.
The factors that contribute to coal formation are related to the sedimentary process and the geographical location where organic matter was abundant.
Given the historical data, it is most likely that during the early and middle Jurassic times, coal formation occurred along swampy regions which later became part of the southern hemisphere.
These conditions make option 4, south of the equator, the most accurate answer for the student's question.