Which process helps remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, demonstrating the Law of Conservation of Mass?

• A. Combustion
• B. Respiration
• C. Photosynthesis
• D. Fermentation

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This means the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.
2. Identify the processes listed: Combustion, Respiration, Photosynthesis, and Fermentation. Each involves chemical reactions with different roles in the carbon cycle.
3. Recognize that Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight. This process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
4. Write the balanced chemical equation for Photosynthesis: ${6 \mathrm{CO} 2}_{}+{6 H 2O}_{} \to {C 6H 12O 6}_{}+{6 O 2}_{}$
5. Analyze how Photosynthesis demonstrates the Law of Conservation of Mass: The number of each type of atom on the reactant side (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen) is equal to the number on the product side, showing that mass is conserved.