Question detail
Which statement best links crude oil to ancient biomass?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Carbon compounds as fuels and feedstock
Question
- A. It formed mainly from plankton buried in mud long ago
- B. It is produced when modern plants photosynthesise
- C. It is made by reacting carbon dioxide with water in rocks
- D. It is mined as a pure element from metal ores
Answer
The correct option is It formed mainly from plankton buried in mud long ago. Crude oil formed mainly from ancient plankton buried in mud and changed by heat and pressure over millions of years.
Explanation
The correct option is It formed mainly from plankton buried in mud long ago. This answer supports the finite-resource idea by explaining origin. AQA describes crude oil as the remains of ancient biomass, mainly plankton, buried in mud and later trapped in rocks. Modern photosynthesis, simple reactions in rocks, and metal ore extraction do not describe crude oil formation.
Common mistake
Finite resource misconception
Students think crude oil can be replenished quickly because it is a liquid that can be pumped out of the ground.
Explain that crude oil is a finite resource formed over millions of years from ancient biomass and cannot be replenished on a human timescale.
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