Question

Read the selection below: This wind possesses kinetic energy, which it transfers to sand by carrying it short distances. If the moving sand hits something, it stops due to the friction created. Its kinetic energy is then transformed into thermal energy, or heat. Once enough sand builds up, these impacts can create sand dunes. These newly formed sand dunes provide a special environment. Plants grow there, using light energy to transform water and carbon dioxide into chemical energy, which is stored in sugar. When an animal eats the plant, it uses the stored energy to heat its body and move around. This transforms the chemical energy into kinetic and thermal energy. WHY did the author include this event?

A. to describe how sand dunes are created by isolated energy transfers
B. to introduce how energy is conserved in nature
C. to elaborate on how energy is transferred and transformed in a variety of real-life settings
D. to show how different types of energy can be seen throughout nature in various landscapes.​

Answer 1

The excerpt describes the transfer and transformation of energy in nature to show real-life applications of these physical concepts, favoring answer option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

The author included the description of how wind transfers kinetic energy to sand and how this energy transforms into various other forms to illustrate the concept of energy transfer and transformation in different real-world scenarios. The text describes the movement of sand dunes due to wind energy, the transformation of this kinetic energy into thermal energy due to friction, and the subsequent use of this energy by plants and animals in the ecosystem. This accounts for energy conservation and the roles energy transformations play in nature, aligning with option C: to elaborate on how energy is transferred and transformed in a variety of real-life settings.