Majority of the carbon on the Earth is

Options

A. present in plants on lands
B. dissolved in oceans
C. present in air as carbon dioxide
D. present in animals as organic matter

Answer

To solve the question regarding where the majority of carbon on Earth is found, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Carbon Cycle
- The carbon cycle involves the movement of carbon among the atmosphere, oceans, living organisms, and geological formations.

### Step 2: Identify Carbon Reservoirs
- Major reservoirs of carbon include:
- Atmosphere (as carbon dioxide)
- Oceans (dissolved carbon)
- Terrestrial plants and animals (organic matter)
- Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

### Step 3: Analyze Each Option
- **Plants**: While plants contain carbon, they do not hold the majority of carbon on Earth.
- **On Lands**: This includes soil and terrestrial ecosystems, but again, this is not the largest reservoir.
- **Dissolved in Oceans**: Oceans are known to hold a significant amount of carbon.
- **Present in Air as Carbon Dioxide**: The atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, but in smaller quantities compared to oceans.
- **Present in Animals as Organic Matter**: Animals also contain carbon, but not in the majority.

### Step 4: Compare the Quantities
- It is known that approximately 71% of the Earth's carbon is found dissolved in the oceans. This is a significant amount compared to other reservoirs.

### Step 5: Conclusion
- Based on the analysis, the majority of carbon on Earth is found dissolved in oceans.

### Final Answer
The majority of the carbon on Earth is present in the oceans.

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