Question

Termites live in the tropical rainforest breaking down dead and decaying plant material. As they break down the plant material they release methane, a greenhouse gas. Annually, 1,000 termites release approximately 500 grams of methane. Given a density of 3.5 X 106 termites per hectare, what is the annual amount of methane released, in kilograms, by the termites inhabiting a 3,000 hectare of tropical rainforest.

Answer 1

Approximately 5,250,000 kg of methane would be released.

Explanation:

Given: 1,000 termites release approximately 500 g of methane annually

3.5 x
`10^(6)` termites per hectare

Thus, population of termites inhabiting 3,000 hectares = number of termites per hectare x 3,000

= 3.5 x
`10^(6)` x 3,000

= 10 500 000 000

= 1.05 x
`10^(10)`

Since 1,000 termites release 500 g of methane, then 10 500 000 000 termites would release:

`(10500000000)/(1000)` x 500 g

= 5250000000 g

But 1000 g = 1 kg, so that;

`(5250000000)/(1000)`

= 5250000 kg

Approximately, 5,250,000 kg of methane would be released by termites inhabiting 3,000 hectares of tropical rain forest.