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When an animal exhales, it releases carbon into the atmosphere. What is another way in which an animal is part of the carbon

cycle?
OA. When an animal sweats, it releases carbon back into the atmosphere through the process of transpiration.
OB. When an animal dies, bacteria release carbon in the body during the process of decomposition.
Oc. When an animal burrows in the ground, it absorbs carbon from the soil.
OD
When an animal urinates, it transmits carbon monoxide to water in the water cycle.

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

Animals contribute to the carbon cycle through the process of decomposition. When an animal dies, bacteria decompose the body, releasing carbon back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Step-by-step explanation:

Aside from exhaling carbon dioxide, animals are part of the carbon cycle in another significant way: decomposition. When an animal dies, the carbon contained within its body is released back into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide during the process of decomposition by bacteria and other decomposers. This is represented by option B: When an animal dies, bacteria release carbon in the body during the process of decomposition.

Carbon, a key component in regulating the Earth's temperature, cycles through the ecosystem, connecting all living organisms. Decomposition is just one step in the complex journey of carbon through land, water, and air, where it's also stored in various carbon reservoirs such as oceans, soil, and the atmosphere.

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