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Chapter 18: Problem 26

Why do animals contain the same ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 as plants do?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Animals contain the same ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 as plants because they indirectly acquire carbon from the atmosphere through their diet. Since plants absorb carbon from the atmosphere maintaining the atmospheric ratio, the animals that consume these plants also maintain this ratio.

Step by step solution

01

Contextual Understanding

It's crucial to understand the context of this question, which is the carbon cycle. Carbon, including its isotopes C-12 and C-14, circulates in the environment in a cycle that involves the atmosphere, plants, animals, and decomposers.
02

Photosynthesis

In photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which includes both C-12 and C-14. Through this process, plants integrate these isotopes into their tissues, maintaining a ratio relative to the atmospheric carbon.
03

Food chain transfer

Animals acquire carbon indirectly from the atmosphere when they consume plants (or other animals which feed on plants). Therefore, because the carbon isotopes in their diet have the same ratio as in the atmosphere, the animals will also end up with this ratio in their tissues.

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