Question

An increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere would not cause:

• A. More heat to be retained by the environment
• B. Increase in photosynthesis in plants
• C. Global warming
• D. The abundance of desert plants

Answer 1

The correct option is D

The abundance of desert plants

The correct answer is option D

Explanation of the correct answer:

1. An increase in carbon dioxide leads to an increase in the solar energy trapped by the Earth.
2. This has a direct impact on the global temperature leading to global warming, the melting of ice caps, an increase in the sea level all over the planet, etc.
3. However, it has no correlation with the growth or abundance of desert plants.

Explanation of the incorrect options:

Option A:

Since carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, an increase in its content in the atmosphere would lead to greater heat being trapped by the Earth. As a result, more heat will be retained leading to higher temperatures.

Option B:

An increase in carbon dioxide provides a greater substrate for plants to perform photosynthesis.

Option C:

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. This implies that it retains the solar radiation in the Earth's atmosphere and helps maintain the temperature on the Earth. However, an increase in its content above the normal concentration leads to excessive heat-trapping and causes a global rise in temperature. This is called global warming.

Concluding statement: An increase in carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere would not cause the abundance of desert plants.