Question

Natural gas is used for electricity generation, domestic purposes, transportation, and industrial manufacturing of fertilizers. Methane is a byproduct of natural gas combustion. The following table reports the total U.S. methane emissions from natural gas systems in million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE):

Year 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Total Methane (in MMTCE) 32.9 33.2 35.6 36.7 37.9
Data Courtesy of EPA

Which statement most likely describes an impact of the trend shown in the table?
a. Methane emissions have decreased over the years.
b. Methane emissions have remained constant.
c. Methane emissions have increased significantly.
d. Methane emissions are unrelated to natural gas use.

Answer 1

According to the given data, methane emissions have increased from 1990 to 2010, indicating that this trend is associated with the rising use of natural gas.

Step-by-step explanation:

The trend shown in the table suggests that methane emissions have increased over time, specifically from the year 1990 to 2010. This increase correlates with the higher demand and consumption of natural gas for various purposes, including electricity generation, domestic use, transportation, and fertilizer production. It is important to note that while natural gas is a cleaner burning fossil fuel compared to coal, the combustion of natural gas still produces methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas.