Question

Why did we take a sediment core? a) To analyze atmospheric conditions

b) To study the history of climate change
c) To measure oceanic acidity
d) To assess seismic activity

Answer 1

Sediment cores are collected to study the history of climate change, using fossils and chemical signatures as proxies for past environmental conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

We obtain sediment cores primarily to study the history of climate change. Sediment cores are a valuable archive of past environmental conditions. They contain fossils, grain sizes, and chemical signatures that provide indirect evidence, or proxies, of past climate. For instance, specific species' fossils reveal the temperature of seawater at the time they lived, based on the direction of their coil. These sediments are analyzed to reconstruct historical climates and understand how factors like Earth's orbit and the sun's activity have affected climate change across geological timescales.

Therefore, the correct answer to the question "Why did we take a sediment core?" is option b) To study the history of climate change.