Question

Please select the word from the list that best fits the definition: a coral reef is made of ______, a mineral that forms the skeletons of coral animals.

1) Calcium Carbonate
2) Silicon Dioxide
3) Sodium Chloride
4) Potassium Nitrate

Answer 1

A coral reef is made of Calcium Carbonate, a mineral that forms the skeletons of coral organisms in the phylum Cnidaria.

Step-by-step explanation:

The word that best fits the definition of a coral reef being made of a mineral that forms the skeletons of coral animals is Calcium Carbonate. Coral reefs are formed by the calcium carbonate skeletons of coral organisms, which are marine invertebrates in the phylum Cnidaria. These organisms are members of saltwater polyp colonies that secrete the calcium carbonate that forms these underwater structures. Over time, this leads to the accumulation of the hard calcium carbonate that is characteristic of coral reefs, providing food and shelter to various marine organisms and protecting shorelines from erosion.